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Merrick vs Zeal

Merrick is made by Merrick Pet Care (owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare), and Zeal is made by Natural Pet Treat Company Limited, and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Merrick and Zeal both average 8.8 out of 10.

Merrick and Zeal compared

Merrick Zeal
Manufacturer Merrick Pet Care Natural Pet Treat Company Limited
Parent company Nestlé Purina PetCare Independent
Founded 1988 1999
Headquarters Amarillo, Texas, USA Auckland, New Zealand
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 United States New Zealand
Manufacturing region Texas Auckland
Products listed 118 20
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 .
8.8 (avg of 118) 8.8 (avg of 20)
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
Shop Zeal Amazon

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Merrick vs Zeal: how they compare

Scores

Merrick and Zeal average the same KibbleLab score, 8.8 out of 10, across 118 and 20 scored foods. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

Merrick is made by Merrick Pet Care, owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare, based in Amarillo, Texas, USA, founded in 1988. Zeal is made by Natural Pet Treat Company Limited, an independent maker, based in Auckland, New Zealand, founded in 1999.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. KibbleLab lists 118 Merrick foods and 20 Zeal foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Merrick or Zeal?

Merrick and Zeal average the same KibbleLab score, 8.8 out of 10.

Who makes Merrick and Zeal?

Merrick is made by Merrick Pet Care, which is owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare. Zeal is made by Natural Pet Treat Company Limited.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Merrick has 118 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 20 for Zeal.

Where is each brand based?

Merrick is based in Amarillo, Texas, USA. Zeal is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Have Merrick or Zeal been recalled?

Neither Merrick nor Zeal 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: Merrick and Zeal .

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.