Process for dry stable intermediate pet food composition

A process for making a dry, stable intermediate pet food including meat includes the steps of combining a plurality of ingredients specified by a basal pet food formula, wherein the plurality of ingredients includes a slurry of meat, mixing the plurality of ingredients to form a basal mixture, extruding the basal mixture, cutting the extruded basal mixture into flakes, and drying the flakes to a moisture content of less than about 10% by weight. In one embodiment, to make a finished pet food composition, the flakes are shipped for final processing to a processing facility having finishing equipment including grinding, extruding and coating equipment.