Take This 2-Minute Quiz To Avoid Expensive Labeling Mistakes

Picture this: you’re getting ready to launch a new line of high-protein freeze-dried cat treats.  You’ve got the recipe locked in, the branding is colorful and enticing, and you’re proud of the ingredients you’ve sourced. But before you start shipping products or sending out samples, there’s one more box to check: Is your label compliant?

You might assume the answer is yes. After all, you modeled it after a product that’s already in stores. But, regrettably, pet food labels are a regulatory minefield and just because something looks right doesn’t mean it is.

That’s why we created this free label audit quiz – a fast, free tool that helps you determine whether your label might need a closer look.

Why pet food labels are more complicated than you think

Most pet food founders are surprised to learn just how complex label requirements can be. It’s not just about ingredient lists and brand names. Your label needs to meet AAFCO guidelines, follow FDA regulations, and stay within the rules set by each state where your product will be sold.

And when your label makes certain claims—like "supports joint health" or "calming formula"—you're entering a whole new level of scrutiny. Functional treats and health supplements are regulated differently, and mislabeling them could mean expensive reformulations, product delays, or even legal action.

We've worked with clients who thought they were just a few weeks away from launch… until their label hit a regulatory snag that set them back by months.

The good news? Our quick quiz can help you catch those problems before they cost you.

How the label audit quiz works

We built this quiz for busy people who want a fast, reliable gut-check on where they stand. It takes just 2 minutes to complete, and it walks you through questions like:

• Does your label include feeding directions or a guaranteed analysis?
• Are you making any functional or therapeutic claims (e.g., "calms anxiety," "relieves joint pain")?
• Does your product blur the line between food and supplement?
• Are you using novel ingredients like slippery elm bark or MSM?

At the end, you can upload a photo of your label and get a recommendation on whether your label is good to go or should be submitted for a full audit.

A full label audit typically ranges from $300 to $550—a fraction of what you might spend if a regulatory agency flags your label after launch.

Common issues the quiz helps uncover

One of the biggest risks in the pet food world is labeling something as a treat when it's really a supplement—or listing ingredients that have pharmacological effects without the right disclaimers or approvals. We've seen:

• Products with dosage instructions instead of feeding guidelines
• Labels that use medical language like "treats arthritis"
• Claims like "human grade" without the substantiation to back it up
• Gaps in required elements (like listing a calorie count but skipping guaranteed analysis)

These things don’t just raise red flags—they can derail your entire go-to-market timeline.

A 2-minute quiz that could save you months of cleanup

Running a pet food company is already hard enough without getting bogged down in regulations you didn’t know existed. Our goal with this quiz is simple: give you peace of mind, fast.

If you pass the quiz? Great. You’ve got confidence moving forward.

If the quiz flags a potential issue? Even better. You caught it early, and now you can fix it before it causes problems.

We built this quiz to save you:

• Time (no back-and-forth with regulators for 3 months)
• Money (no surprise reformulations or relabeling)
• Reputation (no product pulled from shelves)

Take the quiz now and get clarity in minutes!