Protocol Raw — Founder's Action Guide¶
What this document is: Your "start here" guide to getting Protocol Raw manufactured. Plain English, action-focused.
What this document is NOT: Technical specifications (those exist separately when you need them).
Part 1: How the Supply Chain Works¶
The Simple Version¶
You don't manufacture dog food. You don't blend powders. You don't weigh micro-ingredients before every batch.
You control the specs. Others do the physical work.
Here's the model:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ YOU (Protocol Raw) │
│ • Set specifications │
│ • Approve COAs (certificates of analysis) │
│ • Manage relationships │
│ • Audit occasionally │
│ │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
│ You send: Pack specs + approved supplier list
│ They send: COAs for approval, then finished packs
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ BLENDER/PACKER │
│ • Sources kelp, oyster powder, mussel powder, CLO │
│ • Checks COAs against your specs │
│ • Blends Dry Functional Pack │
│ • Produces batch-dose Functional Preblend units (bags/drums/totes)│
│ • Bottles Oil Pack (CLO) in batch doses │
│ • Ships directly to co-packer (or to you if you prefer) │
│ │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
│ They send: Labelled preblend units + bottles (with lot numbers)
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ CO-PACKER │
│ • Sources meat, organs, eggs, commodity oils (fish oil, flax) │
│ • Receives your Functional Preblend + Oil Pack (lot-tracked) │
│ • Grinds, mixes, adds preblend, portions into 500g trays │
│ • Seals (MAP), labels, freezes, holds for your lab clearance │
│ • Ships to you or your 3PL │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Why This Model?¶
The problem: Your formulation uses COA-controlled anchors (kelp for iodine, oyster for zinc, mussel for manganese, CLO for vitamin D). These need verified potency to hit FEDIAF compliance. If you let the co-packer source random kelp powder, you lose control.
The solution: You control the critical micro-ingredients through a blender/packer who makes standardised Functional Preblend units. The co-packer just adds the preblend — they don't need micro-scales or nutritionist knowledge.
Your ongoing work: Approve COAs when lots change (maybe monthly), audit annually, handle exceptions. Not daily/weekly operational work.
Part 2: Decisions You Need to Make First¶
Before you contact anyone, decide these:
Decision 1: Standard Batch Sizes¶
Pick 1-2 batch sizes and stick to them. This makes everything simpler and cheaper.
| Phase | Recommended Batch Size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Phase A (months 1-6) | 1,000 kg | Balances testing cost, MOQs, risk |
| Phase B (months 7-18) | 2,500 kg | Volume efficiency |
| Phase C (scale) | 10,000–20,000+ kg | Co-packer run efficiency + fewer lot-change events |
Your decision: __ kg (Phase A), _ kg (Phase B), and ___ kg (Phase C)
Once set, your Functional Preblend units are made in these exact batch doses. No weighing or math at the co-packer.
Note: At Phase C, "one sachet per batch" becomes "one preblend unit per batch" (e.g., 25kg bags, drums, or totes), still lot-tracked and COA-controlled.
Decision 2: Who Holds Functional Pack Inventory?¶
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A: Blender ships to co-packer | You never touch the preblend units. Blender ships directly when co-packer orders a batch. | Least hassle. Recommended. |
| B: You hold inventory | Blender ships preblend units to you. You ship to co-packer per batch. | More control, more work. |
| C: Co-packer holds inventory | Blender ships bulk preblend units to co-packer. Co-packer stores and uses as needed. | Works if co-packer has space and you trust them. |
Recommendation: Option A for simplicity. You're not in the warehousing business.
Your decision: Option ___
Decision 3: Who Sources Anchor Ingredients?¶
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Blender sources to your spec | You give them specs + approved supplier list. They buy, check COAs, reject if out of spec. | Recommended. Less work for you. |
| You source, blender just blends | You buy kelp/oyster/mussel/CLO, ship to blender, they make preblend units. | More control, more cash flow/logistics burden. |
Recommendation: Let the blender source. You approve suppliers and COA specs upfront. They execute.
Your decision: Blender sources / You source (circle one)
Decision 4: Oil Pack Contents¶
The Dry Pack is straightforward (anchors + carriers/fibre in a COA-controlled Functional Preblend).
For oils, decide:
| Option | Oil Pack contains | Co-packer sources |
|---|---|---|
| A: CLO only in Oil Pack | Just cod liver oil (vitamin D anchor) | Fish oil + flaxseed oil |
| B: All oils in Oil Pack | CLO + fish oil + flaxseed | Nothing — all oils come from you |
Recommendation: Option A. CLO is the critical one (vitamin D). Fish oil and flaxseed are commodity — let the co-packer source them to a simple spec (e.g., "salmon/sardine oil, EPA+DHA ≥25%, peroxide <5").
Your decision: Option ___
Decision 5: Stool Stability System (Whole-Food Fibre)¶
Your target customer is family pets and kibble switchers. To make stool issues unlikely at scale, you will include a small whole-food fibre system inside the Functional Preblend.
Default recommendation (finished-product inclusion targets): - Pumpkin powder or carrot fibre: ~2.0% - Psyllium husk: ~0.5% - Nutritional yeast: reduced (e.g., ~3.0%) as carrier/B-vitamin support, not the dominant dry mass
Why it matters: This reduces loose-stool tickets during transition without using synthetic additives.
Your decision: - Fibre source: Pumpkin powder / Carrot fibre (circle one) - Psyllium: Yes / No - Label naming: "psyllium husk", "pumpkin powder" / "carrot fibre" (confirm)
Part 3: The Action Sequence¶
Here's what you do, in order.
Phase 0: Home Pilot (Weeks 1-4)¶
You do this yourself to validate the formulation before spending money on commercial partners.
| Week | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Source pilot ingredients (10kg quantities) from retail/online |
| 1 | Get COAs for anchor ingredients if possible (or just use reputable brands) |
| 2 | Run 10kg home pilot batch (see Home Pilot Protocol) |
| 2 | Submit composite sample to UKAS lab for full nutritional panel |
| 3-4 | Receive results |
| 4 | DECISION GATE A: FEDIAF compliant on lab panel? If yes → proceed. If no → adjust and re-run. |
| 4 | DECISION GATE B: GI tolerance acceptable on transition test (stool scoring)? If yes → proceed. If no → adjust (usually fibre/fat variability) and re-run. |
GI tolerance test (simple): - Use a 7–10 day transition from kibble → Protocol Raw - Track stool score daily (and gas/itch notes) - Pass = no persistent diarrhea/urgency in the test group after transition
Output: Lab report proving your formulation works + GI tolerance data confirming stool stability.
Phase 1: Find Your Blender/Packer (Weeks 2-6)¶
Can run parallel to home pilot.
| Week | Action |
|---|---|
| 2 | Write Pack Specification Sheet (use template in your doc pack) |
| 2-3 | Identify 3-5 UK blender/packers (see "Where to Find Them" below) |
| 3 | Send RFQ with your Pack Spec Sheet |
| 4-5 | Receive quotes, ask clarifying questions |
| 5-6 | Select blender/packer, agree terms |
| 6 | DECISION GATE: Blender/packer confirmed? If yes → proceed to co-packer. |
What you're asking them: - "Can you source these ingredients to these specs?" - "Can you blend the Dry Pack and portion into X kg batch-dose Functional Preblend units?" - "Can you bottle CLO in X kg batch doses?" - "What's the lead time and MOQ?" - "Will you send me COAs for approval before production?"
Where to find blender/packers: - UK feed/pet supplement blenders (search "pet food premix UK", "feed supplement blending UK") - Contract packing companies that handle powders - Ask your co-packer candidates — they often know blenders they've worked with - Jamie's FMCG network may have leads
Phase 2: Find Your Co-Packer (Weeks 4-10)¶
Start this once you have lab validation and blender/packer lined up.
| Week | Action |
|---|---|
| 4-5 | Send Co-Packer RFQ to 4-6 candidates |
| 5-7 | Receive quotes, classify using capability checklist |
| 7-8 | Site visits to top 2-3 |
| 8-9 | Negotiate terms, confirm they'll accept your Functional Preblend units |
| 9-10 | Sign agreement |
| 10 | DECISION GATE: Co-packer confirmed? If yes → schedule first batch. |
What you're asking them: - "Can you run this formula?" (give them the Production Master Spec) - "Can you add pre-made Functional Preblend units at the mixing stage and record lot numbers?" - "Do you have quarantine capacity for hold-and-release?" - "What's your price at 1,000 kg / 2,500 kg / 5,000 kg batches?"
What you're NOT asking them: - To source micro-ingredients (that's the blender/packer's job) - To weigh powders on micro-scales (that's done for them) - To understand FEDIAF compliance (that's your job)
Phase 3: First Commercial Batch (Weeks 10-14)¶
| Week | Action |
|---|---|
| 10 | Order Functional Preblend from blender (allow 2-3 week lead time) |
| 10 | Confirm co-packer production slot |
| 11-12 | Blender ships Functional Preblend to co-packer |
| 12-13 | Co-packer runs first batch (1,000 kg): grinds, mixes, adds preblend + oils, fills 500g trays, MAP-seals, labels, freezes |
| 13 | Co-packer sends samples to lab (pathogen panel) |
| 13 | Batch sits in quarantine (HOLD) |
| 13-14 | Lab results received |
| 14 | DECISION GATE: Pathogens clear? If yes → release batch. If no → destroy, investigate. |
| 14 | First customer shipments |
Part 4: What's Ongoing vs One-Time?¶
One-Time Setup Work¶
| Task | When | Time Required |
|---|---|---|
| Run home pilot, get lab validation | Weeks 1-4 | 10-15 hours |
| Find and contract blender/packer | Weeks 2-6 | 5-10 hours |
| Find and contract co-packer | Weeks 4-10 | 15-25 hours (including site visits) |
| Set up batch tracking in your systems | Week 10 | Already done (SOP 01) |
Ongoing Work at Scale¶
| Task | Frequency | Time Required |
|---|---|---|
| Review/approve COAs from blender | When ingredient lots change (monthly-ish) | 15-30 mins |
| Trigger batch production (tell co-packer to run) | Per batch (weekly at scale) | 5 mins (email/call) |
| Enter batch in system when co-packer confirms | Per batch | 30 seconds (your ops portal) |
| Review pathogen results, release batch | Per batch | 2 mins (automated, you just confirm) |
| Audit blender/packer | Annually | Half day |
| Audit co-packer | Annually | Half day |
The key point: Once set up, your per-batch work is minimal. The system you've already built (SOP 00, 01, 02, etc.) handles most of it automatically.
Part 5: What Could Go Wrong (and What to Do)¶
Problem: Blender/packer COA shows anchor ingredient out of spec¶
Example: Kelp iodine is 600 mg/kg instead of your spec'd 800-1200 mg/kg.
Action: Reject that lot. Tell blender to source compliant lot before making your preblend units.
Your exposure: Delay of 1-2 weeks while they source new kelp. No product goes out wrong.
Problem: Co-packer can't/won't add preblend properly¶
Example: They mix up lot numbers, or add preblend at the wrong stage.
Action: This is why you do a site visit and watch the first batch. Build clear instructions. If they can't follow them, find a different co-packer.
Problem: First batch fails pathogen test¶
Example: Salmonella detected.
Action: Destroy batch. Do NOT release. Investigate with co-packer (ingredient source? cross-contamination? temperature abuse?). Fix root cause. Run new batch.
Your exposure: Cost of one batch (~£4,000-5,000 at 1,000 kg). But your proof system is intact — you caught it before it reached customers.
Problem: Lab results show nutritional miss (e.g., iodine low)¶
Example: Routine audit shows iodine at 280 µg/1000 kcal vs FEDIAF minimum 350 µg.
Action: Check kelp lot COA — did potency drop? Adjust preblend formula: increase kelp weight proportionally. Future batches will be compliant.
Your exposure: A batch labelled "Complete" must meet the standard it claims.
Action: If a batch misses a FEDIAF minimum, do not release as "complete." Hold the batch, investigate root cause, and decide corrective action (rework/blend-down/relabel/dispose) with your nutrition/regulatory sign-off. Fix going forward via preblend adjustment.
Problem: Fibre ingredients introduce contamination risk or processing issues (pumpkin/carrot fibre, psyllium)¶
Risk: Plant powders can carry higher baseline microbial load and may cause clumping if not dispersed correctly (psyllium gels fast).
Action: - Require COAs + acceptance criteria for fibre ingredients (micro + contaminants) in your Supplier Spec Pack - Validate dispersion on first commercial batch (visual check + sampling) - If clumping occurs: adjust mixing sequence (preblend into a meat masterbatch first), mixing time, and temperature control
Part 6: Quick Reference - Who Does What¶
| Task | You | Blender/Packer | Co-Packer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set ingredient specs | ✓ | ||
| Source anchor ingredients (kelp, oyster, mussel, CLO) | ✓ | ||
| Check anchor COAs against spec | Approve | ✓ Execute | |
| Produce Functional Preblend (anchors + carrier + fibre) | ✓ | ||
| Portion into batch-dose preblend units (bags/drums/totes) | ✓ | ||
| Bottle CLO in batch doses | ✓ | ||
| Ship Functional Packs to co-packer | ✓ | Receive | |
| Source meat, organs, eggs, commodity oils | ✓ | ||
| Grind, mix, add preblend + oils, fill trays, seal (MAP), label | ✓ | ||
| Record Functional Pack lot numbers | ✓ | ||
| Freeze and hold in quarantine | ✓ | ||
| Submit samples for pathogen testing | ✓ (or you) | ||
| Review pathogen results, release batch | ✓ | ||
| Ship to customers / 3PL | ✓ (or you in Phase A) |
Part 7: Documents You'll Use¶
| Document | What it's for | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Pack Specification Sheet | RFQ to blender/packers | Finding your blender/packer |
| Supplier Spec Pack | Tells blender what COA fields to check | Give to blender once contracted |
| Production Master Spec | Full formula + processing instructions | Give to co-packer |
| Co-Packer RFQ | Capability checklist + pricing template | Finding your co-packer |
| Home Pilot Protocol | Step-by-step 10kg trial batch | Your home pilot (Phase 0) |
| Lab Validation Panel | What tests to request from lab | Submitting pilot + ongoing batches |
Your Next Steps¶
Right now: 1. Confirm your batch size decisions (1,000 kg Phase A / 2,500 kg Phase B / 10,000–20,000+ kg Phase C recommended) 2. Confirm inventory model (blender ships direct to co-packer recommended) 3. Confirm oil pack contents (CLO only recommended) 4. Confirm stool stability system (fibre source + psyllium)
This week: 1. Start sourcing 10kg pilot ingredients 2. Identify 3-5 blender/packer candidates 3. Identify 4-6 co-packer candidates (Jamie may have leads)
Next prompt: I'll create the Pack Specification Sheet you'll send to blender/packers.
Document Control¶
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document | Founder's Action Guide |
| Version | 1.1 |
| Created | January 2026 |
| Updated | February 2026 |
| Owner | Anton |
| Classification | INTERNAL |