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RawTernative Beef & Beef Organs is a pour-and-serve air-dried dog food made with beef, lung, liver, and New Zealand green mussel. At the prices checked, its 3 lb bag costs about $8.40 per day for an illustrative 800-calorie diet or $2.10 for a 200-calorie topper. The 1 lb bag costs less upfront, but the difference in cost per calorie is substantial.
Quick verdict. RawTernative is worth considering if you want a measured beef-based topper or can budget for it as a full meal. The 3 lb bag costs less per calorie than the 2.2 lb ZIWI Peak Beef bag in this price check. ZIWI has the lower cost per calorie when comparing the two 1 lb bags. RawTernative’s adequacy statement excludes large-size puppy growth. This review is based on published product information and retailer listings.
Ingredients and Air-Dried Format
The first three ingredients are beef, beef lung, and beef liver. RawTernative says the recipe uses grass-fed New Zealand beef and describes beef and beef organs as 93% of the recipe. The next three ingredients are vegetable glycerin, flaxseed meal, and New Zealand green mussel. The manufacturer’s full list also includes minerals, vitamins, taurine, preservatives, and rosemary extract. RawTernative’s U.S. ingredient panel
Beef is the only land-animal source listed. Green mussel is a separate animal ingredient worth checking if your dog needs to avoid a specific protein.
Air-drying removes moisture using moving air. RawTernative sells this recipe ready to serve, so it can be portioned straight from the bag without thawing or adding water. The calorie statement is the more useful number for measuring a small portion. RawTernative’s recipe and feeding information
Guaranteed Analysis, Calories, and Life Stages
| Measure | Manufacturer’s U.S. listing |
|---|---|
| Crude protein, minimum | 32% |
| Crude fat, minimum | 22% |
| Crude fiber, maximum | 3.5% |
| Moisture, maximum | 18% |
| Calculated metabolizable energy | 4,756 kcal/kg or 485 kcal/cup |
RawTernative states that the Beef & Beef Organs Recipe is formulated to meet AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages except growth of large-size dogs, defined as dogs expected to weigh 70 lb or more as adults. Large adult dogs fall within the stated coverage. If you’re feeding a large-size puppy, check the adequacy statement on the specific bag before choosing a main diet. RawTernative’s adequacy statement · FDA guide to complete and balanced pet food
Daily Cost Compared With ZIWI Peak Beef
Hollywood Feed’s listed U.S. prices were checked on November 10, 2026. The examples exclude tax, shipping, and discounts. RawTernative’s 1 lb and 3 lb bags are compared with ZIWI Peak’s 16 oz (454 g) and 2.2 lb (1 kg) bags. Calculations use the manufacturers’ listed energy densities of 4,756 kcal/kg for RawTernative and 4,900 kcal/kg for ZIWI. RawTernative calorie statement · ZIWI Peak Beef calorie statement
| Recipe and bag size | Bag price | Per 100 kcal | Full meal, 800 kcal | Topper, 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RawTernative, 1 lb | $31.99 | $1.48 | $11.86 | $2.97 |
| RawTernative, 3 lb | $67.99 | $1.05 | $8.40 | $2.10 |
| ZIWI Peak Beef, 16 oz | $29.98 | $1.35 | $10.78 | $2.70 |
| ZIWI Peak Beef, 2.2 lb | $59.98 | $1.22 | $9.79 | $2.45 |
To calculate cost per 100 kcal, multiply the bag weight in kilograms by the food’s kcal/kg, divide the bag price by that total, and multiply by 100. For example, the 3 lb RawTernative bag contains about 6,472 kcal. At $67.99, that works out to roughly $1.05 per 100 kcal. The table rounds after calculating each cost.
The 800-calorie budget is an example. In the topper column, the price covers only the 200 calories supplied by the air-dried recipe. The dog’s regular food would supply the other 600 calories in that scenario. At 4,756 kcal/kg, 200 calories of RawTernative weigh about 42 g.
For more on the other recipe’s ingredients, label, and feeding costs, see the ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Beef review.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Names the two beef organs and clearly lists green mussel.
- Ready to serve as a measured topper or, for dogs within the label’s life-stage coverage, a full meal.
- The 3 lb bag had the lowest cost per calorie among the four bags checked.
Cons
- The small bag was the most expensive option per calorie in this comparison.
- The adequacy statement excludes large-size puppy growth.
- A full diet can get expensive at higher calorie needs.
Bottom Line
RawTernative Beef & Beef Organs offers better value in the 3 lb bag at the prices checked. A smaller bag has a lower upfront cost if you want to see whether your dog takes to the recipe. If the ingredients and life-stage statement suit your dog, compare the current price per 100 kcal and use your dog’s actual calorie needs to estimate the daily cost.