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FirstMate vs Orijen

FirstMate is made by FirstMate Pet Foods (owned by Nasta Pet Food), and Orijen is made by Champion Petfoods (owned by Mars, Incorporated), and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, FirstMate averages 8.7 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.5 for Orijen.

FirstMate and Orijen compared

FirstMate Orijen
Manufacturer FirstMate Pet Foods Champion Petfoods
Parent company Nasta Pet Food Mars, Incorporated
Founded 1989 1985
Headquarters North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Manufacturing Whether a brand makes its own food in-house or has it produced by an outside contract manufacturer or co-packer.
In-house In-house
Made in Canada Canada and United States
Manufacturing region British Columbia Alberta; Kentucky
Products listed 56 65
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 .
8.7 (avg of 56) 8.5 (avg of 65)
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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FirstMate vs Orijen: how they compare

Scores

FirstMate scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.7 out of 10 across 56 scored foods, compared with 8.5 across 65 for Orijen. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

FirstMate is made by FirstMate Pet Foods, owned by Nasta Pet Food, based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1989. Orijen is made by Champion Petfoods, owned by Mars, Incorporated, based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, founded in 1985.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. KibbleLab lists 56 FirstMate foods and 65 Orijen foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, FirstMate or Orijen?

FirstMate scores higher: it averages 8.7 out of 10 across 56 scored foods, compared with 8.5 for Orijen. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes FirstMate and Orijen?

FirstMate is made by FirstMate Pet Foods, which is owned by Nasta Pet Food. Orijen is made by Champion Petfoods, which is owned by Mars, Incorporated.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Orijen has 65 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 56 for FirstMate.

Where is each brand based?

FirstMate is based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Orijen is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Have FirstMate or Orijen been recalled?

Neither FirstMate nor Orijen 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: FirstMate and Orijen .

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.