Unveiling Acana s Lamb Formulas A Deep Dive into Premium Dog Nutrition

Singles, Lamb & Apple RecipeDry Dog Food

Ingredients

Lamb, lamb meal, lamb liver, sweet potato, whole chickpeas, fish oil, whole lentils, lentil fiber, whole apples, sunflower oil, natural lamb flavor, lambtripe, whole pumpkin, whole cranberries, salt, choline chloride, taurine, dried kelp, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, mixed tocopherols(preservative), selenium yeast, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12supplement, copper proteinate, freeze-dried lamb, dried chicory root, turmeric, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillusacidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product.

METABOLIZABLE ENERGY: 3405 kcal/kg (388 kcal per 8 oz. cup), with 32% from protein, 26% from carbohydrates, and 42% from fat.

ACANA LAMB & APPLE RECIPE is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages except for growth of large breed dogs (70lbs or more as an adult)

Acana vs Orijen Dog Food: 2024 Comparison

As we learn more about proper nutrition for ourselves, many dog owners have also taken a good look at what theyre feeding their pets. This trend has led to many independent premium dog food brands gaining a cult-like following often for a good reason.

Acana and Orijen are two of the most respected dog food brands. While neither brand is widely available in all retailers, their use of quality, regional ingredients and well-balanced nutrition have carved out a corner of the market for these two product lines.

When it comes to choosing between these two brands, however, which is right for your dog? What are the differences between Acana, Orijen, and their various dog food formulas?

A Sneak Peek at the Winner: Acana

Choosing between Acana and Orijen is difficult, especially since these two dog food brands are incredibly similar. While Orijens formulas offer more animal ingredients and protein on average, we ultimately chose Acana as the winner because of its wider range of products, grain-inclusive options, and more affordable price point.

The winner of our comparison:

About Acana

Acana is a premium dog food that is built on using biologically appropriate, regional ingredients whenever it can. Currently, Acanas U.S. catalog can be broken into three core product lines.

Originals

As the name implies, Acanas Originals lineis where it all began. Alongside standard flavors like red meat or poultry, this is where youll find the brands Puppy & Junior Formula and Healthy & Fit Formula.

Regionals

Acanas Regionals line is designed around local ecosystems and the natural protein sources found within. While the Regionals line sold in the U.S. is based around Kentucky, the Canadian line features Alberta-inspired ingredients.

Singles

The Acana Singles recipes are designed with just one source of animal protein per formula. Combined with a somewhat limited list of plant-based ingredients, these formulas are designed for dogs who require a limited ingredient diet due to sensitivities or allergies.

Along with traditional kibble, the Singles line also includes several types of freeze-dried dog treats.

+ Wholesome Grains

Originally, all Acana dog food products were formulated to be entirely grain free. With the introduction of its + Wholesome Grains products, however, Acana has added two grain-inclusive formulas to each of its three main product lines above. Since these recipes rely on oats, not wheat, they are still gluten free.

A Quick Look at Acana Dog Food

• Offers grain-free and grain-inclusive options
• Made in the U.S. and Canada
• Based on fresh, regional ingredients
• Independently owned and manufactured
• High in whole animal proteins
• Competitive pricing for a premium brand

• Not widely available at all retailers
• Not ideal for true limited-ingredient diets
• No senior or small breed formulas available

About Orijen

Like, Acana, Orijen is also formulated with regional, biologically-appropriate ingredients. However, the biggest difference between these two dog food brands is that Orijen tends to use up to 15% more meat and animal-based ingredients in its formulas. Right now, Orijen offers a limited selection of dog food varieties:

Dry kibble

Orijens main product line includes several types of grain-free kibble. Along with a few regular, adult formulas, youll also find specialized recipes for puppies, seniors, different breeds, and weight management.

Freeze-dried

Along with the regular kibble recipes, many dog owners turn to Orijen because of its variety of freeze-dried dog foods and treats. These recipes contain up to 90% animal ingredients that are freeze-dried to preserve nutrition and flavor without the mess or shortened shelf life of a wet formula.

Like Orijens kibble formulas, all of its freeze-dried meals and treats are entirely grain free.

A Quick Look at Orijen Dog Food

• Extremely high in animal proteins
• Ideal for dogs on a grain-free diet
• Made in the U.S. or Canada
• Relies on fresh, local ingredients
• Offers unique freeze-dried meals and treats
• Owned by a small, independent company

• Limited product range
• No grain-inclusive options
• More expensive than some competitors
• Not available in all pet supply retailers

Who Makes Acana & Orijen?

Both of these pet food brands are owned and manufactured by the parent company, Champion Pet Foods. Champion Pet Foods is a Canadian company that has existed for over 25 years.

All Acana and Orijen products are made in one of Champion Pet Foods two independently operated factories. Products made for the Canadian market are made in the Acheson, Alberta, factory. Since 2006, all U.S. products have been made in the Auburn, Kentucky, factory.

Recall history

As of our review, Acana, Orijen, and Champion Pet Foods have not been included in any public pet food recalls.

Consumer relations history

In the past couple of years, multiple consumer lawsuits have emerged regarding Acana, Orijen, and Champion Pet Foods. These lawsuits have claimed that Champion Pet Foods and its labels have sold products containing detectable levels of heavy metal and BPA.

Most of these lawsuits have been legally dismissed. However, according to our research, it appears that at least one case is still in progress.

Champion Pet Foods has made several brief statements regarding these legal issues on its website, which you can read here.

The 3 Most Popular Acana Dog Food Recipes

While we cant take a deep dive into Acanas entire dog food range, weve broken down three of our favorite formulas:

1. Acana Kentucky Farmlands With Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food

The Kentucky Farmlands with Wholesome Grains formula is one of the newest products from Acana, filling the brands gap in grain-inclusive offerings. Although this formula does include carbohydrates from whole grains, it is entirely gluten free. The Kentucky Farmlands formula is part of the Regionals line, featuring whole animal protein sources like chicken, turkey, duck, and eggs.

• High in whole animal ingredients
• Features protein from raw and fresh sources
• Made in the U.S.
• Grain inclusive and gluten free
• Formulated with probiotics

• Pieces are too big for some small dogs
• May be hard to find in stores

2. Acana Meadowland Dry Dog Food

While we prefer Acanas new grain-inclusive formulas for most dogs, the brand offers many grain-free recipes as well. The Meadowland Dry Dog Food is another Regionals formula, including WholePrey ingredients like chicken, turkey, freshwater catfish, eggs, and rainbow trout.

• Ideal for dogs with grain sensitivities
• Made in the U.S.
• Formulated with local Kentucky ingredients
• Contains probiotics for digestion
• High in animal protein
• Grain free and gluten free

• High concentration of legumes
• Not available in all pet food retailers

3. Acana Singles Limited Ingredient Diet Duck & Pear Formula Dry Dog Food

The Singles Limited Ingredient Diet Duck & Pear Formula is designed with a single source of animal protein and a shortened list of plant-based ingredients. This particular recipe uses duck as its primary ingredient, half of which is used in a raw or fresh state. While this formula is advertised for dogs with sensitivities or allergies, it does contain some ingredients that are likely to trigger reactions.

• Uses a single source of animal protein
• Made in the U.S.
• Grain free and gluten free
• Limited list of ingredients
• Formulated with live probiotics

• Contains pea protein
• Not ideal for a true limited-ingredient diet
• Difficult to find in some stores

The 3 Most Popular Orijen Dog Food Recipes

Compared to Acana, Orijens dog food product range is much more limited. Here are three of the most popular formulas currently being offered by the brand:

1. Orijen Original Dry Dog Food

As Orijens flagship recipe, the Original Dry Dog Food is made with whole animal ingredients like chicken, turkey, wild fish, and eggs. Since Orijen uses meat, organs, cartilage, and bones in its formulas, your dog gets all of the key nutrients it would get from hunting in the wild. This particular formula contains 85% animal ingredients, two-thirds of which are used in a raw or fresh state.

• Ideal for dogs on a grain-free diet
• Made in the U.S.
• 85% animal-based ingredients
• Contains freeze-dried liver
• Uses fresh and raw meat sources

• More expensive than some other options
• Not available from all pet food suppliers
• Grain-free formula may not be ideal for all dogs

2. Orijen Puppy Dry Dog Food

The Orijen Puppy Dry Dog Food is similar to the brands other kibble recipes but with additional nutrition to support your dog during its first one or two years. This recipe includes meat, cartilage, bones, and organs from chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs.

If your dog is a large or giant breed, Orijen also offers a Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Foodthat will help support slow and steady growth.

• Formulated for small and medium breed puppies
• Made in the U.S.
• High in animal protein
• Ideal for dogs with gluten or grain sensitivities
• Made with raw and fresh ingredients

• Not ideal for large or giant breeds
• Not widely available in all areas
• Not all puppies require a grain-free diet

3. Orijen Senior Dry Dog Food

On the other end of the spectrum, the Orijen Senior Dry Dog Food formula is designed for older dogs and their unique nutritional needs. This recipe is high in protein to support muscle mass and discourage unhealthy weight gain with increased age. Like the rest of Orijens product range, the Senior formula contains 85% animal ingredients.

• Designed aging dogs of all sizes
• Made in the U.S.
• Formulated with raw and fresh animal ingredients
• Supports lean muscle mass
• Grain and gluten-free

• May not be available in all pet supply stores
• Not ideal for dogs on a grain-inclusive diet

Acana vs. Orijen Comparison

Since both brands are owned and manufactured by the same company, comparing Acana and Orijen reveals few differences. Still, there are factors to consider when selecting a new dog food for your canine companion:

Pricing

While exact pricing may vary slightly between retailers and individual product lines, Orijen products tend to cost more than their Acana counterparts. If youre on a budget, Acana offers near-comparable quality for a more affordable price.

Ingredient quality

There may be slight differences between the ingredients used by Acana vs. Orijen, but we believe that these potential differences are negligible when looking at the big picture. Since both Acana and Orijen are manufactured in the exact same factories, theres a good chance that they also use the exact same ingredients.

Instead, the primary difference in ingredient quality between these two brands is how much of each ingredient is used.

Nutrition

The biggest difference between Acana and Orijen is that Orijen products are formulated with a higher concentration of animal protein.

At the same time, Orijen has yet to release any grain-inclusive formulas. Yes, a large portion of Orijens customer base prefers a grain-free diet, but this does exclude many dogs from trying out the brand. If your dog does not require a grain-free diet, Acana is your only option at the moment.

Final Thoughts

After reviewing Acana and Orijen, there is really no clear winner. Because these two pet food brands share the same parent company, factories, ingredients, and overall mission statement, the final products offered by each label are nearly the same.

With that said, we recommend Acanafor most dogs and their owners. However, if your dog requires a grain-free, high-protein diet and you can afford the higher price tag, Orijen technically offers slightly better nutrition.

Acana and Orijen are two of the highest-quality dog food brands currently on the market, so you cant go wrong trying one of these formulas with your own pets.