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Merrick vs Simply Nourish

Merrick vs. Simply Nourish

In this comparison article for Merrick vs Simply Nourish, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Merrick and Simply Nourish, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.

Throughout this Simply Nourish vs Merrick comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Merrick Review Page or Simply Nourish Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: Simply Nourish vs. Merrick

According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.

All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.

Merrick Dog Food vs. Simply Nourish Dog Food

Dry Dog FoodMerrickSimply Nourish
Crude Protein35.9%31.8%
Crude Fat17.2%14.7%
Crude Fiber4.2%6.8%
Wet/Canned Dog FoodMerrickSimply Nourish
Crude Protein43.9%44.7%
Crude Fat21.1%21.9%
Crude Fiber8.3%7.0%

Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food

Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.

The table shows that Simply Nourish provides far less protein than Merrick. The difference in protein content is roughly 4.06%. For wet dog foods, Simply Nourish and Merrick provide roughly the same amount of protein.


Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food

Like protein, fats are an essential part of a dog's body. Fats are needed for the proper development and function of the canine body.

If you look at the average percentages of crude fat, you'll notice that Merrick typically guarantees 2.45% more fat. This is a fairly small difference between Merrick and Simply Nourish, but still worth mentioning. For wet dog foods, Simply Nourish and Merrick provide roughly the same amount of fat.


According to our data, Simply Nourish guarantees 2.56% more fiber than Merrick. Although this difference is relatively small, it's still a notable difference. For wet dog foods, Merrick and Simply Nourish provide roughly the same amount of fiber.

Merrick Cat Food vs. Simply Nourish Cat Food

Dry Cat FoodMerrickSimply Nourish
Crude Protein40.5%39.9%
Crude Fat15.7%16.5%
Crude Fiber5.1%6.3%
Wet/Canned Cat FoodMerrickSimply Nourish
Crude Protein46.9%48.0%
Crude Fat21.3%21.2%
Crude Fiber6.0%6.5%

Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food

Cats require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Eleven of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining eleven are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these eleven essential amino acids.

As you can see, Simply Nourish and Merrick guarantee a similar amount of crude protein. With regards to wet cat food, Simply Nourish and Merrick also provide roughly the same amount of crude protein.


Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food

There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):

  • Help transport nutrients across cell membranes
  • Fats produce metabolites, which help control inflammation
  • Maintain healthy blood pressure
  • Slow the growth of yeast infections
  • Fats improve the taste/texture of food.

Merrick and Simply Nourish both provide roughly the same amount of crude fat. With regards to wet cat food, Merrick and Simply Nourish also provide roughly the same amount of crude fat.


There is a relatively insignificant difference between the crude fiber content of the two brands. With regards to wet cat food, Simply Nourish and Merrick also provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber.

Merrick Pet Food Ingredients vs. Simply Nourish Pet Food Ingredients

Merrick and Simply Nourish both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:

Canola Oil
Pea Protein
Powdered Cellulose
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Merrick.

Garlic
Caramel Color
Meaty Femur Bone

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Simply Nourish.

Pasta
Tomato Pomace
Vegetable Oil

We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.

Merrick and Simply Nourish both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Product Safety: Recall History of Merrick & Simply Nourish?

Merrick has been recalled 6 times.

  • Jan. 28, 2011: Salmonella
  • Aug. 8, 2011: Salmonella
  • July 2, 2010: Salmonella
  • Aug. 3, 2010: Salmonella
  • Aug. 13, 2010: Salmonella
  • May 23, 2018: elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone

Simply Nourish has been recalled once.

  • Aug. 13, 2021: elevated levels of vitamin D

Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!

Where To Buy Merrick Pet Foods

You can purchase Merrick pet foods from the following stores:


136 Recipes In-Stock Today

107 Recipes In-Stock Today

104 Recipes In-Stock Today

17 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where To Buy Simply Nourish Pet Foods

You can purchase Simply Nourish pet food products from these retailers:


Type Of Pet Foods Available

ProductMerrickSimply Nourish
Dry Dog Food53 Recipes35 Recipes
Wet Dog Food58 Recipes20 Recipes
Dog Treats35 Treats14 Treats
Dry Cat Food18 Recipes15 Recipes
Wet Cat Food50 Recipes21 Recipes
Cat TreatsNone9 Treats

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