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Instinct vs Open Farm

Instinct is made by Nature's Variety (owned by Agrolimen S.A.), and Open Farm is branded by Open Farm Inc. (owned by Independent (minority investors: General Atlantic, Encore Consumer Capital)) and made by third-party co-packers, and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Open Farm averages 8.6 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.4 for Instinct.

Instinct and Open Farm compared

Instinct Open Farm
Manufacturer Nature's Variety Open Farm Inc.
Parent company Agrolimen S.A. Independent (minority investors: General Atlantic, Encore Consumer Capital)
Founded 2002 2014
Headquarters St. Louis, Missouri, USA Toronto, Ontario, 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 Co-packer
Made in United States United States
Manufacturing region Nebraska Minnesota
Products listed 108 125
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 Yes
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) 8.6 (avg of 125)
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 Open Farm: how they compare

Scores

Open Farm scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.6 out of 10 across 125 scored foods, compared with 8.4 across 108 for Instinct. 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. Open Farm is a brand of Open Farm Inc., owned by Independent (minority investors: General Atlantic, Encore Consumer Capital), based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, founded in 2014. Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. Both are accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition. KibbleLab lists 108 Instinct foods and 125 Open Farm foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Instinct or Open Farm?

Open Farm scores higher: it averages 8.6 out of 10 across 125 scored foods, compared with 8.4 for Instinct. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Instinct and Open Farm?

Instinct is made by Nature's Variety, which is owned by Agrolimen S.A. Open Farm is a brand of Open Farm Inc., which is owned by Independent (minority investors: General Atlantic, Encore Consumer Capital). Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Open Farm has 125 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 108 for Instinct.

Where is each brand based?

Instinct is based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Open Farm is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Are Instinct or Open Farm PSC Accredited?

Both Instinct and Open Farm are PSC Accredited businesses. The Pet Sustainability Coalition is a nonprofit that Accredits pet companies on their environmental and social impact.

Have Instinct or Open Farm been recalled?

Neither Instinct nor Open Farm 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 Open Farm .

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.