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Merrick vs Zealandia

Merrick is made by Merrick Pet Care (owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare), and Zealandia is made by Zealandia Ltd, and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Zealandia averages 8.9 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 8.8 for Merrick. Zealandia is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition; Merrick is not.

Merrick and Zealandia compared

Merrick Zealandia
Manufacturer Merrick Pet Care Zealandia Ltd
Parent company Nestlé Purina PetCare Independent
Founded 1988 Not listed
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 Not listed
Made in United States New Zealand
Manufacturing region Texas Gisborne
Products listed 118 19
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 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 .
8.8 (avg of 118) 8.9 (avg of 19)
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

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Merrick vs Zealandia: how they compare

Scores

Zealandia scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.9 out of 10 across 19 scored foods, compared with 8.8 across 118 for Merrick. 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. Zealandia is made by Zealandia Ltd, an independent maker, based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. Zealandia is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition; Merrick is not. KibbleLab lists 118 Merrick foods and 19 Zealandia foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Merrick or Zealandia?

Zealandia scores higher: it averages 8.9 out of 10 across 19 scored foods, compared with 8.8 for Merrick. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Merrick and Zealandia?

Merrick is made by Merrick Pet Care, which is owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare. Zealandia is made by Zealandia Ltd.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Merrick has 118 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 19 for Zealandia.

Where is each brand based?

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

Are Merrick or Zealandia PSC Accredited?

Zealandia 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 Merrick or Zealandia been recalled?

Neither Merrick nor Zealandia 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 Zealandia .

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.