Orijen vs. NutriSource
In this comparison article for Orijen vs NutriSource, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Orijen and NutriSource, 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 NutriSource vs Orijen comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Orijen Review Page or NutriSource Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: NutriSource vs. Orijen
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.
Orijen Dog Food vs. NutriSource Dog Food
Dry Dog Food | Orijen | NutriSource |
Crude Protein | 42.9% | 28.9% |
Crude Fat | 22.6% | 16.8% |
Crude Fiber | 5.5% | 7.1% |
Wet/Canned Dog Food | Orijen | NutriSource |
Crude Protein | 57.4% | 43.4% |
Crude Fat | 24.7% | 33.0% |
Crude Fiber | 7.8% | 7.2% |
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.
On average, Orijen dry dog food recipes contain 14.02% more protein than NutriSource recipes. Clearly, there is a significant difference between the protein content of NutriSource and Orijen. Similarly, Orijen wet dog foods provide significantly more protein than NutriSource wet foods.
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.
The table shows that NutriSource provides far less fat than Orijen. The difference in fat content is roughly 5.82%. In addition, NutriSource wet dog foods also provide more fat than Orijen wet foods.
As you can see, Orijen and NutriSource guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber. With regards to wet dog food, Orijen and NutriSource also provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber.
Orijen Cat Food vs. NutriSource Cat Food
Dry Cat Food | Orijen | NutriSource |
Crude Protein | 44.8% | 36.4% |
Crude Fat | 21.0% | 17.9% |
Crude Fiber | 4.0% | 7.8% |
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.
When you look at the average percentages of crude protein for dry cat food, it's clear that Orijen provides significantly more protein. On average, Orijen guarantees about 8.37% more protein than NutriSource.
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.
If you look at the average percentages of crude fat, you'll notice that Orijen typically guarantees 3.04% more fat. This is a fairly small difference between Orijen and NutriSource, but still worth mentioning.
According to our data, NutriSource guarantees 3.88% more fiber than Orijen. Although this difference is relatively small, it's still a notable difference.
Orijen Pet Food Ingredients vs. NutriSource Pet Food Ingredients
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by NutriSource.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by NutriSource.
Product Safety: Recall History of Orijen & NutriSource?
Orijen has been recalled once.
- Nov. 22, 2008: irradiation treatment consequences
According to our records, NutriSource has never been recalled.
Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?
Dry Dog Food | Orijen | NutriSource |
Per Pound | $12.58 | $2.64 |
Per Calorie | $0.0060 | $0.0015 |
Dry Cat Food | Orijen | NutriSource |
Per Pound | $6.57 | $3.25 |
Per Calorie | $0.0036 | $0.0018 |
The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.
If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Orijen or NutriSource, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.
Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Orijen or NutriSource will depend on your shopping habits.
Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Orijen and NutriSource. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.
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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 Orijen Pet Foods
You can purchase Orijen pet foods from the following stores:
Where To Buy NutriSource Pet Foods
You can purchase NutriSource pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
Product | Orijen | NutriSource |
Dry Dog Food | 14 Recipes | 41 Recipes |
Wet Dog Food | 3 Recipes | 13 Recipes |
Dog Treats | 13 Treats | 11 Treats |
Dry Cat Food | 7 Recipes | 8 Recipes |
Wet Cat Food | None | 10 Recipes |
Cat Treats | 6 Treats | None |