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Essence vs McLovin's

Essence is branded by Pets Global, Inc. and made by third-party contract manufacturers, and McLovin's is branded by McLovin's Pet Food, Inc. (owned by Caduceus Software Systems Corp.) and made by third-party contract manufacturers, and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Essence averages 8.5 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.0 for McLovin's.

Essence and McLovin's compared

Essence McLovin's
Manufacturer Pets Global, Inc. McLovin's Pet Food, Inc.
Parent company Independent Caduceus Software Systems Corp.
Founded 2010 2020
Headquarters Valencia, California, USA Chino, California, USA
Manufacturing Whether a brand makes its own food in-house or has it produced by an outside contract manufacturer or co-packer.
Contract manufacturer Contract manufacturer
Made in United States United States
Manufacturing region South Dakota California
Products listed 13 4
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 13) 8.0 (avg of 4)
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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Essence vs McLovin's: how they compare

Scores

Essence scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.5 out of 10 across 13 scored foods, compared with 8.0 across 4 for McLovin's. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

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. McLovin's is a brand of McLovin's Pet Food, Inc., owned by Caduceus Software Systems Corp., based in Chino, California, USA, founded in 2020. Its food is made by third-party contract manufacturers in United States.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. KibbleLab lists 13 Essence foods and 4 McLovin's foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Essence or McLovin's?

Essence scores higher: it averages 8.5 out of 10 across 13 scored foods, compared with 8.0 for McLovin's. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Essence and McLovin's?

Essence is a brand of Pets Global, Inc.. Its food is made by third-party contract manufacturers in United States. McLovin's is a brand of McLovin's Pet Food, Inc., which is owned by Caduceus Software Systems Corp.. Its food is made by third-party contract manufacturers in United States.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Essence has 13 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 4 for McLovin's.

Where is each brand based?

Essence is based in Valencia, California, USA. McLovin's is based in Chino, California, USA.

Have Essence or McLovin's been recalled?

Neither Essence nor McLovin's 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: Essence and McLovin's .

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.