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Darford vs Zesty Paws

Darford is made by Darford International Inc., and Zesty Paws is branded by Zesty Paws (owned by Health & Happiness (H&H) Group) and made by third-party contract manufacturers. On KibbleLab, Darford averages 8.9 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.1 for Zesty Paws. Darford makes food for dogs, while Zesty Paws covers cats and dogs.

Darford and Zesty Paws compared

Darford Zesty Paws
Manufacturer Darford International Inc. Zesty Paws
Parent company Independent Health & Happiness (H&H) Group
Founded 1987 2014
Headquarters Vernon, British Columbia, Canada 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 Canada United States
Manufacturing region British Columbia Florida
Products listed 17 71
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 .
8.9 (avg of 17) 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

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Darford vs Zesty Paws: how they compare

Scores

Darford scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.9 out of 10 across 17 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

Darford is made by Darford International Inc., an independent maker, based in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1987. 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 17 Darford foods and 71 Zesty Paws foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Darford or Zesty Paws?

Darford scores higher: it averages 8.9 out of 10 across 17 scored foods, compared with 8.1 for Zesty Paws. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Darford and Zesty Paws?

Darford is made by Darford International 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?

Zesty Paws has 71 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 17 for Darford.

Where is each brand based?

Darford is based in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Zesty Paws is based in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Have Darford or Zesty Paws been recalled?

Neither Darford 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: Darford 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.