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Bil-Jac vs Essence

Bil-Jac is made by Bil-Jac Foods, Inc., and Essence is branded by Pets Global, Inc. and made by third-party contract manufacturers. On KibbleLab, Bil-Jac averages 8.8 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.5 for Essence. Bil-Jac makes food for dogs, while Essence covers cats and dogs.

Bil-Jac and Essence compared

Bil-Jac Essence
Manufacturer Bil-Jac Foods, Inc. Pets Global, Inc.
Parent company Independent Independent
Founded 1947 2010
Headquarters Medina, Ohio, USA 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 United States United States
Manufacturing region Ohio South Dakota
Products listed 38 13
Serves 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 .
8.8 (avg of 38) 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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Bil-Jac vs Essence: how they compare

Scores

Bil-Jac scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.8 out of 10 across 38 scored foods, compared with 8.5 across 13 for Essence. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

Bil-Jac is made by Bil-Jac Foods, Inc., an independent maker, based in Medina, Ohio, USA, founded in 1947. 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 38 Bil-Jac foods and 13 Essence foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Bil-Jac or Essence?

Bil-Jac scores higher: it averages 8.8 out of 10 across 38 scored foods, compared with 8.5 for Essence. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Bil-Jac and Essence?

Bil-Jac is made by Bil-Jac Foods, Inc. 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?

Bil-Jac has 38 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 13 for Essence.

Where is each brand based?

Bil-Jac is based in Medina, Ohio, USA. Essence is based in Valencia, California, USA.

Have Bil-Jac or Essence been recalled?

Neither Bil-Jac 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: Bil-Jac 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.