Brand Comparison
Loyal Saints vs. Ollie
Freeze-dried raw vs. fresh cooked — which is right for your dog?
Try Loyal Saints →The Short Answer
Ollie is a well-made fresh-cooked dog food. Loyal Saints is freeze-dried raw. These are different food formats with different nutrition profiles, different logistics requirements, and different daily costs. The comparison below shows exactly where they differ — and where Loyal Saints wins.
- Raw nutrition — enzymes preserved because no heat is used, vs. Ollie's cooked format
- No fridge. Ever. — Loyal Saints ships and stores like pantry food
- ~$2–3/day vs. Ollie ~$4–7/day for the same dog
- Travel-ready — no frozen shipments, no refrigeration window to manage
- Woman-owned, founder-led — vs. VC-backed corporate brand
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Loyal Saints | Ollie |
|---|---|---|
| Food type | Freeze-dried raw | Fresh cooked |
| Human-grade | ✓ every ingredient | ✓ |
| No soy / corn / GMOs | ✓ every formula | Varies by recipe |
| Enzymes preserved | ✓ no heat used | Reduced by cooking |
| Refrigeration required | No — pantry-stable | Yes — must refrigerate |
| Shelf life (unopened) | 12+ months | 4–5 days (fridge) |
| Ships frozen | No | Yes — ships frozen |
| Travel-friendly | ✓ | ✗ |
| Daily cost (35 lb dog) | ~$2–3/day | ~$4–7/day |
| Subscription savings | 20% off every order | Subscription pricing |
| Woman-owned | ✓ founder-led | ✗ VC-backed |
| Founder proof story | King — reversed chronic illness | No comparable proof |
| Made in USA | ✓ Midwest facility | USA kitchen facilities |
Fresh Cooked vs. Freeze-Dried Raw — What Changes With Heat
Ollie cooks its food at low temperatures in what it calls "human-quality kitchens." The food is nutritious, carefully sourced, and free of artificial additives. Cooking is not the problem — but it does change the nutritional composition of the food in ways that matter.
Heat denatures proteins, breaks down heat-sensitive enzymes, and reduces the bioavailability of certain nutrients. Dogs evolved eating raw food. Their digestive systems are optimized for raw protein, raw fat, and the enzymatic activity that comes with it. Fresh-cooked food is much better than kibble — but it is still cooked.
Loyal Saints uses freeze-drying: flash-freezing followed by vacuum moisture removal — no heat at any stage. The food that comes out of the bag has the enzyme profile, amino acid completeness, and nutritional bioavailability of a fresh raw diet. If your goal is the closest possible approximation to what dogs evolved to eat, freeze-dried raw wins.
The Frozen Shipping Problem
Ollie ships its food frozen in insulated boxes. This means you need to be home for delivery, have fridge or freezer space available, and defrost before serving. Once thawed and in the fridge, it has a 4–5 day window before it needs to be discarded. Travel is essentially impossible without a dedicated cooler.
Loyal Saints ships like any other pantry product. It arrives, you put it in a cabinet, and it stays there — completely fresh — until you open it. Add warm water to serve, or serve dry. There is no delivery window to manage, no space to clear in your fridge, and no frozen brick to defrost before your dog's morning meal.
For many dog moms, the elimination of this logistical friction is reason enough to switch. For dog moms with busy schedules, travel, or multiple dogs, the pantry-stable advantage is significant.
Daily Cost: ~$2–3 vs. ~$4–7
For a 35-pound dog, Ollie typically costs between $4 and $7 per day depending on the recipe and delivery plan. Loyal Saints costs approximately $2–3 per day for the same dog — less with the 20% Halo Club subscription discount.
The cost difference comes from logistics: fresh-cooked, frozen delivery is expensive to execute well. Loyal Saints has no cold chain, no insulated packaging overhead, and no VC investor growth model built into the pricing. The food costs what the food actually costs to produce — and it passes that efficiency to the customer.
Loyal Saints delivers freeze-dried raw nutrition at a daily cost lower than every fresh delivery brand on the market. That's the mission: real food should not be a luxury item.
Why Loyal Saints Is Different From Every VC-Backed Brand
Ollie raised venture capital to scale. That is not a criticism — it is a fact about how the company was built and what it optimizes for. VC-backed brands optimize for growth, retention metrics, and eventually an exit. Their formulation decisions reflect that context.
Loyal Saints was built by Kristina Voltin after her dog King reversed years of chronic digestive illness through real food that she formulated herself. King is the brand's mascot because King is the proof of concept. Every formulation decision Loyal Saints makes passes through one filter: would I feed this to King?
No acquisition target, no growth deck, and no investor board sits between Kristina and that question. That is a different kind of brand — and for dog moms who are buying food because they care deeply about their dog's health, that difference is meaningful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ollie better than Loyal Saints?
Ollie is a high-quality product — we respect what they have built. The comparison comes down to food format: Ollie is fresh-cooked and requires refrigeration. Loyal Saints is freeze-dried raw — no heat used in processing, enzymes intact, no fridge required, and less expensive per day. For dog moms who prioritize raw nutrition, convenience, and cost, Loyal Saints delivers on all three.
What is the difference between freeze-dried raw and fresh-cooked dog food?
Fresh-cooked dog food (Ollie, Farmer's Dog) is gently cooked and refrigerated. It is better than kibble but still uses heat, which breaks down some heat-sensitive enzymes and reduces bioavailability compared to raw. Freeze-dried raw dog food (Loyal Saints) uses no heat — food is frozen and moisture is removed under vacuum. The result retains raw nutrition levels in a shelf-stable, pantry-friendly format.
Is Loyal Saints cheaper than Ollie?
Yes. Loyal Saints costs approximately $2–3 per day for a medium dog; Ollie costs approximately $4–7 per day for the same dog. The price difference reflects Ollie's cold-chain shipping infrastructure and VC-backed business model. Loyal Saints ships without refrigeration and is founder-owned — the savings flow directly to the customer.
Can I switch my dog from Ollie to Loyal Saints?
Yes. Both brands are human-grade and free of artificial additives, so the transition is typically smooth. Follow a 7-day transition: 25% Loyal Saints + 75% Ollie for days 1–2, then increase by 25% every 2 days. Dogs already on a high-quality food (like Ollie) tend to handle the transition well. Some dogs show firmer stools within the first week as their system adjusts to the lower moisture content of freeze-dried.
Does Loyal Saints require refrigeration like Ollie?
No. Loyal Saints is shelf-stable for 12+ months before opening and does not require refrigeration or frozen storage. After opening, store in a cool dry place and use within 4–6 weeks. If you rehydrate a serving and have leftovers, refrigerate for up to 24 hours. You will never need frozen delivery, freezer space, or a refrigeration window.
Who founded Loyal Saints?
Loyal Saints was founded by Kristina Voltin, a Minneapolis-based dog mom and entrepreneur. After her dog King suffered from chronic digestive issues and food allergies, Kristina researched canine nutrition deeply, formulated a human-grade freeze-dried raw diet, and transformed King's health. She launched Loyal Saints to give every dog the same chance. The brand is woman-owned, founder-led, and not VC-backed.
Try Loyal Saints Risk-Free
Human-grade. Freeze-dried raw. No soy, no corn, no GMOs. No fridge. ~$2–3/day. Woman-owned. Made in the Midwest, USA. 30-day guarantee on your first order — if your dog doesn't love it, we refund it.
