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Natural Balance vs Ultimates

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 Ultimates is made by Sunshine Mills, Inc., and both make food for cats and dogs. On KibbleLab, Natural Balance and Ultimates both average 8.6 out of 10. Ultimates's maker dates to 1947, while Natural Balance's launched in 1989.

Natural Balance and Ultimates compared

Natural Balance Ultimates
Manufacturer Natural Balance Pet Foods Sunshine Mills, Inc.
Parent company Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital) Independent
Founded 1989 1947
Headquarters Burbank, California, USA Red Bay, Alabama, 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 Alabama
Products listed 118 14
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 .
8.6 (avg of 118) 8.6 (avg of 14)
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 Ultimates: how they compare

Scores

Natural Balance and Ultimates average the same KibbleLab score, 8.6 out of 10, across 118 and 14 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. Ultimates is made by Sunshine Mills, Inc., an independent maker, based in Red Bay, Alabama, USA, founded in 1947.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. KibbleLab lists 118 Natural Balance foods and 14 Ultimates foods.

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Natural Balance or Ultimates?

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

Who makes Natural Balance and Ultimates?

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. Ultimates is made by Sunshine Mills, Inc.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Natural Balance has 118 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 14 for Ultimates.

Where is each brand based?

Natural Balance is based in Burbank, California, USA. Ultimates is based in Red Bay, Alabama, USA.

Have Natural Balance or Ultimates been recalled?

Neither Natural Balance nor Ultimates 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 Ultimates .

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.