Don’t be surprised when you spot the new bag designs from Solid Gold. They have updated the traditional and familiar designs with a more modern feel. The new bags are already beginning to show up in some formulas as the older bags are depleted. The size of some formulas, Sun Dancer and Barking at the Moon are also being reduced. With the size reduction also comes a price reduction.
The price reduction is welcome but still an increase
Although the bag size and price may have shrunk a bit on these two formulas, the new sizes carry a small price increase. So although you may be spending a bit less each time you purchase a bag, you’ll most likely be purchasing those bags a bit more frequently. No word yet on whether other formulas will also be reduced in size or price.
What’s in the bag has also changed
Surprisingly, Solid Gold has quietly tweaked their formulas as part of this bag design and size change. The changes are small, but significant. Rather than introducing a slew of new ingredients, the majority of the changes are a subtle shift in the current proportion of existing ingredients. As with any food change, time will be the best judge as to how your pet performs on the new formulation.
One noticeable exception to the redistribution of ingredients is the addition of digestive enzymes at the end of most new ingredient lists. Another change is the inclusion or increased proportion of peas in most formulas, and potato is others. Most new listings appear longer with the inclusion of new supplements.
At first glance, each new ingredient list still reads quite well
The Guaranteed analysis of most formulas have not changed, although the Metabolizable Energy of most have shifted slightly. Whether your pet will perform better, worse, or see no change on the new foods remains to be seen.
It can be a bit intimidating to try to compare the old with the new. Below are links to a visual aid for some formulas which may help. It shows you a side by side comparison of ingredients listed before the Vitamin/ Mineral premix on some of the Solid Gold formulas.
These charts allow you to see what’s shifted where. It can also help you spot changes or additions which may be of particular concern. The full ingredient lists of each formula, both original and reformulation, follows each comparison chart.
It’s too early to say whether these changes are for the better or not
It’s not too early to say that the way this transition was handled took us by surprise. Solid Gold has changed their distribution method, which has affected availability of some formulas. We were notified of this last week, but as of this posting have yet to receive official notification of any formula changes. This is a disappointing development in the way Solid Gold has previously maintained quality control and communication.
Click on a formula name below to go to the comparative chart of Solid Gold “original” and “new” formulations for 2015, along with Guaranteed Analysis and full ingredient listing for both.
All ingredients listed prior to the Vitamin/ Mineral premix appear. Full ingredient listing appear following chart
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