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Instinct vs Nulo

Instinct is made by Nature's Variety (owned by Agrolimen S.A.), and Nulo is branded by Nulo, Inc. (owned by Apax Partners) and made by third-party co-packers, and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Instinct and Nulo both average 8.4 out of 10. Instinct is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition; Nulo is not.

Instinct and Nulo compared

Instinct Nulo
Manufacturer Nature's Variety Nulo, Inc.
Parent company Agrolimen S.A. Apax Partners
Founded 2002 2009
Headquarters St. Louis, Missouri, USA Austin, Texas, 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 Nebraska Midwest and Southern regions
Products listed 108 288
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.
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 .
8.4 (avg of 108) 8.4 (avg of 288)
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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Instinct vs Nulo: how they compare

Scores

Instinct and Nulo average the same KibbleLab score, 8.4 out of 10, across 108 and 288 scored foods. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

Instinct is made by Nature's Variety, owned by Agrolimen S.A., based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, founded in 2002. Nulo is a brand of Nulo, Inc., owned by Apax Partners, based in Austin, Texas, USA, founded in 2009. Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. Instinct is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition; Nulo is not. KibbleLab lists 108 Instinct foods and 288 Nulo foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Instinct or Nulo?

Instinct and Nulo average the same KibbleLab score, 8.4 out of 10.

Who makes Instinct and Nulo?

Instinct is made by Nature's Variety, which is owned by Agrolimen S.A. Nulo is a brand of Nulo, Inc., which is owned by Apax Partners. Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Nulo has 288 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 108 for Instinct.

Where is each brand based?

Instinct is based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Nulo is based in Austin, Texas, USA.

Are Instinct or Nulo PSC Accredited?

Instinct 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 Instinct or Nulo been recalled?

Neither Instinct nor Nulo 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: Instinct and Nulo .

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.