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Natural Balance vs Primal

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, and Primal is made by Primal Pet Foods, Inc. (owned by Pure Treats, Inc.), and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Natural Balance and Primal both average 8.6 out of 10. Primal is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition; Natural Balance is not.

Natural Balance and Primal compared

Natural Balance Primal
Manufacturer Natural Balance Pet Foods Primal Pet Foods, Inc.
Parent company Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital) Pure Treats, Inc.
Founded 1989 2001
Headquarters Burbank, California, USA Abilene, Texas, USA
Manufacturing Whether a brand makes its own food in-house or has it produced by an outside contract manufacturer or co-packer.
Co-packer In-house
Made in United States United States
Manufacturing region California Texas
Products listed 118 37
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 .
8.6 (avg of 118) 8.6 (avg of 37)
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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Natural Balance vs Primal: how they compare

Scores

Natural Balance and Primal average the same KibbleLab score, 8.6 out of 10, across 118 and 37 scored foods. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

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. Primal is made by Primal Pet Foods, Inc., owned by Pure Treats, Inc., based in Abilene, Texas, USA, founded in 2001.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. Primal is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition; Natural Balance is not. KibbleLab lists 118 Natural Balance foods and 37 Primal foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Natural Balance or Primal?

Natural Balance and Primal average the same KibbleLab score, 8.6 out of 10.

Who makes Natural Balance and Primal?

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. Primal is made by Primal Pet Foods, Inc., which is owned by Pure Treats, Inc.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Natural Balance has 118 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 37 for Primal.

Where is each brand based?

Natural Balance is based in Burbank, California, USA. Primal is based in Abilene, Texas, USA.

Are Natural Balance or Primal PSC Accredited?

Primal 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 Natural Balance or Primal been recalled?

Neither Natural Balance nor Primal 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: Natural Balance and Primal .

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.