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Hill's Natural vs Natural Balance

Hill's Natural is made by Hill's Pet Nutrition (owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company), and Natural Balance is branded by Natural Balance Pet Foods (owned by Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital)) and made by third-party co-packers. On KibbleLab, Hill's Natural averages 9.1 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.6 for Natural Balance. Hill's Natural meets WSAVA's published criteria for evaluating a manufacturer, while Natural Balance does not.

Hill's Natural and Natural Balance compared

Hill's Natural Natural Balance
Manufacturer Hill's Pet Nutrition Natural Balance Pet Foods
Parent company Colgate-Palmolive Company Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital)
Founded 1907 1989
Headquarters Topeka, Kansas, USA Burbank, 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 Co-packer
Made in United States United States
Manufacturing region Kansas California
Products listed 15 118
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.
Yes 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.
Yes 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 .
9.1 (avg of 15) 8.6 (avg of 118)
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.
1 None
Where to buy

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Hill's Natural vs Natural Balance: how they compare

Scores

Hill's Natural scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 9.1 out of 10 across 15 scored foods, compared with 8.6 across 118 for Natural Balance. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

Hill's Natural is made by Hill's Pet Nutrition, owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company, based in Topeka, Kansas, USA, founded in 1907. Natural Balance is a brand of Natural Balance Pet Foods, owned by Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital), based in Burbank, California, USA, founded in 1989. Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Standards and range

Hill's Natural meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria, while Natural Balance does not. Hill's Natural is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition; Natural Balance is not. KibbleLab lists 15 Hill's Natural foods and 118 Natural Balance foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Hill's Natural or Natural Balance?

Hill's Natural scores higher: it averages 9.1 out of 10 across 15 scored foods, compared with 8.6 for Natural Balance. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Hill's Natural and Natural Balance?

Hill's Natural is made by Hill's Pet Nutrition, which is owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company. Natural Balance is a brand of Natural Balance Pet Foods, which is owned by Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital). Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Natural Balance has 118 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 15 for Hill's Natural.

Where is each brand based?

Hill's Natural is based in Topeka, Kansas, USA. Natural Balance is based in Burbank, California, USA.

Do Hill's Natural and Natural Balance meet WSAVA criteria?

Hill's Natural meets WSAVA's published criteria for evaluating a manufacturer; Natural Balance does not, based on public information. WSAVA publishes criteria; it does not certify or endorse brands.

Are Hill's Natural or Natural Balance PSC Accredited?

Hill's Natural is a PSC Accredited business. The Pet Sustainability Coalition is a nonprofit that Accredits pet companies on their environmental and social impact, through third-party verification.

Have Hill's Natural or Natural Balance been recalled?

Hill's Natural has 1 recall on record in the KibbleLab database; Natural Balance has no recalls. 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: Hill's Natural and Natural Balance .

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.