Expert Verdict
Taste of the Wild, manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, has become one of the best-selling grain-free brands by offering exotic protein sources and natural ingredients at prices that undercut premium competitors. The brand's marketing emphasizes ancestral diets, with recipes featuring bison, venison, wild boar, and salmon that appeal to owners seeking variety beyond chicken and beef. The company has successfully positioned itself as an accessible entry point to natural feeding for mainstream consumers.
The High Prairie formula uses bison and venison as primary proteins, while the Pacific Stream recipe features salmon and ocean fish meal for omega-3 content. All formulas are grain-free, using sweet potatoes and peas as carbohydrate sources. The company includes probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants in all recipes, and the kibble is manufactured in company-owned facilities in the United States.
Diamond Pet Foods is one of the largest pet food manufacturers in the country, producing food for numerous brands including some premium labels. This scale allows Taste of the Wild to offer competitive pricing while maintaining reasonable ingredient quality. The company has invested in facility upgrades and quality control following past recalls that affected the entire industry.
The criticism of Taste of the Wild focuses on the use of plant proteins to boost overall protein percentages, the inclusion of some lower-quality ingredients like canola oil, and the fact that exotic proteins are often accompanied by more common meats in the same formula. Some veterinarians also express concern about grain-free diets and heart disease risk. For budget-conscious owners who want grain-free formulations with novel proteins and natural marketing, Taste of the Wild offers genuine value. The price is accessible, the ingredients are decent for the cost, and the brand is widely available in pet specialty stores and online retailers.
What stands out
- Exotic protein options
- Competitive grain-free pricing
- Probiotic inclusion
- Widely available