Skip to content

8,000+ pet foods rated. Your best match, free in 30 seconds.

Blue Buffalo vs Zesty Paws

Blue Buffalo is made by Blue Buffalo Company (owned by General Mills, Inc.), and Zesty Paws is branded by Zesty Paws (owned by Health & Happiness (H&H) Group) and made by third-party contract manufacturers, and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Blue Buffalo averages 8.6 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.1 for Zesty Paws.

Blue Buffalo and Zesty Paws compared

Blue Buffalo Zesty Paws
Manufacturer Blue Buffalo Company Zesty Paws
Parent company General Mills, Inc. Health & Happiness (H&H) Group
Founded 2002 2014
Headquarters Wilton, Connecticut, USA Orlando, Florida, 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 Missouri Florida
Products listed 72 71
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 .
8.6 (avg of 68) 8.1 (avg of 71)
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

Affiliate links · may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Blue Buffalo vs Zesty Paws: how they compare

Scores

Blue Buffalo scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.6 out of 10 across 68 scored foods, compared with 8.1 across 71 for Zesty Paws. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

Blue Buffalo is made by Blue Buffalo Company, owned by General Mills, Inc., based in Wilton, Connecticut, USA, founded in 2002. Zesty Paws is a brand of Zesty Paws, owned by Health & Happiness (H&H) Group, based in Orlando, Florida, USA, founded in 2014. Its food is made by third-party contract manufacturers in United States.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. KibbleLab lists 72 Blue Buffalo foods and 71 Zesty Paws foods.

Not sure which is right for your pet?

Sign in free to save favorites and compare foods side by side. Add KL+ to see Blue Buffalo and Zesty Paws scored for your pet's breed, age, and health focus.

Example foods

Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Blue Buffalo or Zesty Paws?

Blue Buffalo scores higher: it averages 8.6 out of 10 across 68 scored foods, compared with 8.1 for Zesty Paws. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Blue Buffalo and Zesty Paws?

Blue Buffalo is made by Blue Buffalo Company, which is owned by General Mills, Inc. Zesty Paws is a brand of Zesty Paws, which is owned by Health & Happiness (H&H) Group. Its food is made by third-party contract manufacturers in United States.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Blue Buffalo has 72 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 71 for Zesty Paws.

Where is each brand based?

Blue Buffalo is based in Wilton, Connecticut, USA. Zesty Paws is based in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Have Blue Buffalo or Zesty Paws been recalled?

Neither Blue Buffalo nor Zesty Paws 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: Blue Buffalo and Zesty Paws .

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.