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Acana vs Essence

Acana is made by Champion Petfoods (owned by Mars, Incorporated), and Essence is branded by Pets Global, Inc. and made by third-party contract manufacturers, and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Acana and Essence both average 8.5 out of 10. Acana's maker dates to 1985, while Essence's launched in 2010.

Acana and Essence compared

Acana Essence
Manufacturer Champion Petfoods Pets Global, Inc.
Parent company Mars, Incorporated Independent
Founded 1985 2010
Headquarters Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Valencia, California, USA
Manufacturing Whether a brand makes its own food in-house or has it produced by an outside contract manufacturer or co-packer.
In-house Contract manufacturer
Made in Canada and United States United States
Manufacturing region Alberta; Kentucky South Dakota
Products listed 78 13
Serves Cats & dogs Cats & dogs
Price tier A relative price guide, from $ (most affordable) to $$$$$ (most premium), based on the brand's typical retail cost.
$$$$ $$$$$
WSAVA guidelines The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) publishes criteria for evaluating a manufacturer: qualified nutritionists on staff, feeding trials, and published research. It does not certify or endorse brands.
No No
PSC accredited The Pet Sustainability Coalition is a nonprofit that accredits pet companies on their environmental and social impact, through third-party verification. It reflects sustainability practices, not food quality.
No No
Score The average KibbleLab score across this brand's scored foods, on a 0 to 10 scale. Foods are scored on published veterinary science. How scoring works .
8.5 (avg of 78) 8.5 (avg of 13)
Recalls on record We track the FDA's animal food recall listings back to January 2019 and publish every pet food recall automatically. A filing that isn't pet food may not appear here.
None None
Where to buy
Amazon
Amazon

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Acana vs Essence: how they compare

Scores

Acana and Essence average the same KibbleLab score, 8.5 out of 10, across 78 and 13 scored foods. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

Acana is made by Champion Petfoods, owned by Mars, Incorporated, based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, founded in 1985. Essence is a brand of Pets Global, Inc., based in Valencia, California, USA, founded in 2010. Its food is made by third-party contract manufacturers in United States.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. KibbleLab lists 78 Acana foods and 13 Essence foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Acana or Essence?

Acana and Essence average the same KibbleLab score, 8.5 out of 10.

Who makes Acana and Essence?

Acana is made by Champion Petfoods, which is owned by Mars, Incorporated. Essence is a brand of Pets Global, Inc.. Its food is made by third-party contract manufacturers in United States.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Acana has 78 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 13 for Essence.

Where is each brand based?

Acana is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Essence is based in Valencia, California, USA.

Have Acana or Essence been recalled?

Neither Acana nor Essence has a recall on record in the KibbleLab database. We track the FDA's animal food recall listings back to January 2019 and publish every pet food recall automatically. A filing that isn't pet food may not appear here.

See the full profiles: Acana and Essence .

More comparisons

KibbleLab provides informational content only. This is not veterinary advice. Always consult a qualified veterinarian before changing your pet's diet.

This is a neutral, factual comparison, not a ranking or an endorsement of either brand. KibbleLab may earn affiliate commissions through links. No one can pay for placement or a higher score.

Brand and manufacturer details are compiled from public sources and not independently verified; they may not reflect contract manufacturing or co-packing. Recall data is compiled from public FDA filings, and a filing may name the parent company rather than the brand. We track the FDA's animal food recall listings back to January 2019 and publish every pet food recall automatically. A filing that isn't pet food may not appear here.

KibbleLab scores and commentary are editorial opinions based on published data. Represent one of these brands? Request a correction. Anyone else can email us. See our Terms.