Dog Haus, a gourmet hot dog, sausage and burger concept, announced a major companywide shift to using all natural, vegetarian-fed pork, chicken, turkey and beef raised without antibiotics or hormones in all Haus Dogs, Sausages and Burgers. The change comes at a time when the craft casual concept has seen meteoric growth, with 26 locations open across six states and more than 450 planned over the next several years, including expansion to the East Coast.

Additionally, beginning Wednesday, Dog Haus’ proprietary hot dogs and sausages will be free of all added nitrates and nitrites, containing only naturally occurring ones found in sea salt and celery powder. Hot dogs and sausages made this way are rarely found in restaurants or on store shelves.

“There is an ever-growing public interest in not only paying close attention to what we regularly consume, but where those ingredients come from, how animals are raised, and what effect these elements have on us,” says Dog Haus partner Hagop Giragossian. “Dog Haus has been deeply committed to creating food that not only tastes phenomenal, but allows our guests to have peace of mind about its uncompromisable quality.”

This major shift is the result of a conscious decision by the company to source proteins that are sustainable, traceable, and ultimately better for the consumer, including certified humanely-raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free Creekstone Farms Natural Premium Black Angus beef, premium Idaho Duroc Heritage pork and hormone- and antibiotic-free, vegetarian-fed chicken and turkey. Now, Dog Haus is leading the charge by becoming the first hot dog and sausage concept to overhaul its core ingredients through sourcing the highest quality products, thereby reinforcing the brand’s promise of superior quality.