Nutrisource Information
Nutrisource is a pet food brand that is owned by KLN Family Brands, which was founded by Darrel “Tuffy” Nelson in 1947.
You can find an awesome graphical timeline of the company on their Our Family Page on their website.
KLN Family Brands also own and produce several other pet food brands, such as PureVita, Premium Tuffy’s, Tuffy’s Gold, and Supreme.
The KLN Family Brands group isn’t just in the pet food niche but also produces some confectionery products.
Nutrisource is manufactured in the United States at a facility in Perham, Minnesota. To the best of our knowledge, this facility is only used by the KLN Family Brands group to produce Nutrisource and its other pet food brands.
Nutrisource is available to purchase from a huge range of physical pet food stores across the United States, including independent stores and some larger brands.
Unlike most other pet food brands, Nutrisource is not available from the online pet food retailer Chewy.
It is not clear why this is the case, but many speculate it was because of PetSmart’s buyout of Chewy back in 2017.
However, if you are still looking to buy Nutrisource online, it is available on Petflow and some other smaller online stores.
NutriSource Product Range
Dog Food
Nutrisource produces a large range of dog food products, far larger than most brands. This range includes several sub-brands of Nutrisource, which is common in the industry.
These sub-brands include PureVita, Choice, and Element Series. We’ve covered PureVita in a separate brand review (which you can find here), but we will include both Choice and Element Series in this review.
Choice is a sub-brand that produces some grain-inclusive recipes for those who are fearful of grain-free dog food, while Element is a more premium sub-brand with recipes with higher proportions of animal-based content.
Outside of the sub-brands, Nutrisource produces both a variety of dry dog food and wet/canned dog food. They also have a mix of grain-free food and grain-inclusive options.
Lastly, Nutrisource produces several specialty pet food recipes, such as those for puppies, senior dogs, small breed dogs, and large breed dogs.
Cat Food
Nutrisource’s cat food range is smaller than its dog food range and does not include most of the sub-brands like the dog food range does. Instead, PureVita is the only sub-brand with some feline options available.
Despite this, Nutrisource’s cat food range still has both dry and wet/canned recipes. The dry food range is notably smaller than the wet range and only has five recipes. However, this is quite common in the cat food industry as many cats only eat a wet food diet.
Similar to the dog food range, the cat food range includes some niche formulas, such as those for kittens and senior cats, but not quite as many.
Nutrisource Nutrition
Dog Food
The nutrition offered by Nutrisource dog food recipes varies but is generally average to above average when compared to similar dog food recipes or brands.
This above-average nutritional profile includes satisfactory proportions of protein and fat and acceptable proportions of carbohydrates, although they could be lower.
Below is an example of the nutrition provided by a Nutrisource dry dog food recipe.
As you can see in this example, the proportion of protein and fat is considerable and easily makes up the majority of the recipe.
However, as we will discuss later, for many of Nutrisource’s recipes, there is likely high levels of plant-based protein, which may make their overall nutritional profiles look slightly less impressive.
One final point worth noting is that Nutrisource doesn’t just include their Guaranteed Analysis on their website but also another set of percentages that reflect a typical analysis.
You can see an example of this typical analysis below on the right.
This is only done by a few other pet food brands but is something we would like many to adopt as it promotes transparency and clarity rather than hard-to-understand minimums and maximums.
If you would like to learn more about canine nutrition, we highly recommend you check out our Dog Food Guide for a detailed discussion.
Cat Food
The nutrition offered by Nutrisource cat food is similar to its dog food range in that it is average to above average when compared to many other cat food brands.
You can see an example of the nutrition offered by a Nutrisource dry cat food recipe below.
This nutrition offered by Nutrisource cat food is very suitable for most cats; however, all cats would benefit from a diet with higher levels of animal-based protein and fat.
The reason for this is that cats are Obligate Carnivores and do not need to consume any plant-based material or ingredients in their diet.
If you would like to learn more about feline nutrition, including what it means to be an Obligate Carnivore, be sure to check out our Cat Food Guide for an in-depth look.
Nutrisource Ingredients
High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Bison
- Lamb
- Wild Boar
- Trout
- Salmon
Nutrisource uses a large range of meat and fish ingredients in its recipes compared to some other brands. All of these meat and fish ingredients are high-quality additions and dense sources of protein and fat.
Many of these ingredients are common in the industry, such as Chicken, Turkey, and Beef. These meat ingredients are so popular among pet food manufacturers as they are easier to source, relatively affordable, and extremely nutritious.
However, Nutrisource also makes use of some uncommon meat and fish ingredients such as Bison and Wild Boar.
Ingredients such as these are often used in hypoallergenic dog food with the idea that dogs may not have been exposed to them before.
You can learn more about the use of uncommon meat ingredients in the below articles.
Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods Guide
Other Notable Ingredients
Select Nutrisource recipes make use of the three most common legume ingredients in pet food. These are Peas, Chickpeas, and Lentil.
These ingredients are so common as they are easy to source, affordable, and contain favorable nutrition for a plant-based ingredient.
However, in recent years there have been concerns about the high usage of legumes in grain-free dog food and an increased rate of Canine Heart Disease.
While this link is far from conclusive, it has caused many thousands of dog owners to shift their dog’s diet to a grain-inclusive diet instead.
You can learn more about this topic in our detailed breakdown within our Best Dog Foods Without Peas article.
Not only does Nutrisource make use of whole legumes, but they also use some vegetable by-products such as Pea Flour and Pea Starch.
Sadly, these by-product ingredients are not thought of as positive additions to pet food recipes and can be used by some manufacturers to mislead consumers about the overall proportion of ingredients present.
You can learn more about some of these pea by-products in our article Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Flour, and Pea Fiber in Dog Food.
Tomato Pomace and Dried Beet Pulp are both added to pet food recipes as a source of soluble fiber, and they feature in many of Nutrisource’s recipes.
Soluble Fiber can be an important component of a dog’s diet and can be critical to ensure they have regular digestion and stools.
However, beyond their fiber content, neither Tomato Pomace nor Dried Beet Pulp provides much nutrition and lacks any meaningful levels of protein, fat, or carbohydrates.
You can read more about these ingredients and how they are produced in our articles Tomato Pomace as a Pet Food Ingredient? and Dried Beet Pulp In Dog Food.
Brewers Yeast is an ingredient that is often added to premium pet food recipes in small or tiny quantities, and some of Nutrisource’s recipes do so.
Brewers Yeast is added to pet food because many believe it can provide minor health benefits as well as vitamins and minerals that can drive further health improvements.
However, the evidence to support these health benefits is minimal, and some doubt whether Brewers Yeast has a meaningful effect on pets. You can read more on this topic in Brewers Yeast In Dog Food.
Nutrisource’s grain-inclusive products use a small range of grain ingredients, including Brown Rice and Oatmeal.
Grain ingredients can be controversial additions to dog food, with many consumers being firmly against their use as they believe they are low-quality or fillers.
However, others, especially those that feed brands like Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin, believe that grain ingredients are completely normal and support their use.
Despite this controversy, higher-quality grains such as Brown Rice and Oatmeal can be reliable additions to dog food and provide nutrition in the form of carbohydrates, fiber, and select micronutrients.
Chicken Fat is added to some pet food recipes to improve their flavor and boost the levels of animal-based fat in a pet food recipes.
Chicken Fat is chosen over some alternatives as it is easy to source and is relatively low-cost. However, some other similar ingredients are sometimes used, such as Turkey Fat or Beef Fat.
Read more about Chicken Fat, including information on whether it can trigger a Chicken allergy, in our article, Chicken Fat In Dog Food.
Flaxseed is probably the best plant-based source of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which is why it is regularly added to pet food recipes, including those from Nutrisource.
These fatty acids can provide health benefits such as an improvement to the condition of a dog’s skin and coat and improved cognitive function.
However, some dogs have a negative reaction to its inclusion and have to avoid dog food that contains Flaxseed.
The Omega 3 Fatty Acids aren’t the only potential benefits of Flaxseed, and you can learn more about the other benefits in our article Flaxseed In Dog Food.
Tapioca is a starch ingredient that is similar to Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes and is being used more and more in pet food recipes, including some from Nutrisource.
Tapioca is and has been very popular in South America, but many in the western world are not as familiar with it.
Given that it is a starch, it can provide very similar nutrition to Potatoes which include high proportions of carbohydrates.
You can learn more about Tapioca, including why it has become more popular in dog food, in our article Tapioca In Dog Food.
Sunflower Oil is a vegetable oil that is commonly found in foods for human consumption. However, it is used in pet food recipes by some brands, such as Nutrisource.
Sunflower Oil boosts the overall level of fat in a formula, in particular the beneficial Omega Fatty Acids.
However, some would argue that this fat should be mostly animal-based rather than plant-based, like Sunflower Oil is.
Read more information about Sunflower Oil in our article Sunflower Oil In Dog Food.
Menhaden Fish Meal is another regular addition to dog food recipes, especially in recipes from premium brands.
Menhaden Fish are harvested from the oceans for their oils, but once these oils are removed, the flesh is leftover.
This fish meal is a dense source of nutrition, high in animal-based protein, that many pet food brands take advantage of to boost the overall levels of protein and fat. Many are in favor of this rather than the alternative of adding plant-based sources of protein.
You can read more about Menhaden Fish in our article Menhaden Fish Meal in Dog Food.
Nutrisource Animal Testing
At this time, we have no information on what type of animal testing, if any, Nutrisource participates in.
There is growing curiosity and concern around animal testing for pet food products, with some in the industry being worried that some smaller brands are not sufficiently testing their products for long-term consumption.
We strongly believe that laboratory and invasive testing of animals is a cruel and outdated practice and one which should be eliminated.
Nutrisource Recalls
Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), Nutrisource has never recalled any of its products, which therefore means it is a recall-free pet food brand.
Given that Nutrisource is not a new or emerging brand and has been producing pet food for decades, this lack of dog or cat food recalls record is impressive and shows that they take the safety and quality of their production process seriously.
However, one of Nutrisource’s sister brands, PureVita has recently issued a recall. This recall was due to elevated levels of Vitamin D in 1600 cases of one of their wet dog food recipes
You can read more about this in our PureVita Brand Review.
Given that Nutrisource food is likely produced in the same facilities as PureVita this is concerning.
Despite Nutrisource’s recall-free record, we always suggest that pet owners remain vigilant of any future recalls of Nutrisource or any other pet food brand to ensure their pets remain healthy and safe.
Best of Nutrisource
Grain-Free High Plains Select Review
High Plains Select is one of Nutrisource’s most popular dry dog food recipes and for several reasons. The recipe is unique in that it uses a blend of red meat, poultry, and fish, which is very rarely seen.
This blend includes Beef, Trout, and Turkey, which are all positive additions to the recipe thanks to the high-quality animal-based protein and fat they can provide.
The overall proportions of protein and fat in this recipe are 28% and 18.5%, respectively, which are noteworthy.
The recipe then uses a broad range of plant-based ingredients, including Chickpeas, Lentils, and Tapioca.
These plant-based ingredients are extremely common in grain-free dog food and can provide a satisfactory proportion of carbohydrates and fiber that is not overly excessive.
Outside of these major ingredients, the recipe includes tiny portions of some minor ingredients like Chia Seeds and Brewers Yeast which are present to provide beneficial micronutrients.
Grain-Free Seafood Select Review
The above Seafood Select recipe from Nutrisource focuses on Salmon as its primary ingredient, with a substantial portion being present.
Salmon is an excellent addition to any dog food recipe, as it is packed with valuable nutrition.
In particular, Salmon is an excellent source of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which many believe can provide several health benefits to dogs, including an improvement in the health of a dog’s skin and coat.
While Salmon is the focus, the recipe also includes a smaller portion of Turkey Liver.
Organ meat ingredients such as Turkey Liver are welcome additions as they improve the flavor and palatability of a recipe and provide vitamins and minerals that are not commonly found in traditional meat and fish cuts.
A positive for many is that this recipe only includes a tiny portion of plant-based ingredients. This portion comes in the form of a small portion of Chickpeas, which provides carbohydrates and fiber.
Grain Free Country Select Recipe Review
While the cat food range from Nutrisource is far smaller than the dog food range, there are some promising recipes nestled within that range, and the above Country Select is one of those.
This recipe focuses on Chicken and other poultry ingredients, including Chicken, Duck Meal, Chicken Meal, and Turkey Meal.
This mixture of high-quality poultry ingredients combines to provide a very satisfactory proportion of protein at 31%.
In addition, three of these ingredients are the recipe’s first listed ingredients which shows that these meat ingredients are the majority of the recipe.
This dry cat food recipe does include some plant-based content, including a small portion of Chickpeas, Tapioca Starch, and Pea Starch.
While these ingredients are high in carbohydrates and fiber, their portion size makes them less of a concern and in line with other similar premium brands.
Grain Free Lamb & Lamb Liver Select Review
Wet cat food is a critical component of many cats’ diets, especially those that struggle to take on sufficient moisture.
The above Lamb & Lamb Liver could be an ideal addition to a cat’s diet, thanks to its high-quality ingredients and nutrition.
The recipe’s top three ingredients are Lamb, Lamb Broth, and Lamb Liver. These three Lamb ingredients provide a very satisfactory proportion of protein and fat at 10.8% and 8.04%.
The Lamb Liver is an excellent addition and is sure to add a rich flavor and palatability to the recipe and boost the levels of some beneficial minerals.
Outside of this Lamb content, the recipe includes a tiny proportion of Chickpeas, which provides a minor portion of carbohydrates, as well as Agar-Agar, which is a binding agent.
Nutrisource Featured Articles
Nutrisource has not been featured in any of our articles at this time.
Nutrisource Full Product Range
Dry Dog Food
Grain Inclusive Small & Medium Breed Puppy
Grain Inclusive Large Breed Puppy
Grain Inclusive Adult Small Bites Recipe
Grain Inclusive Adult Chicken & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Large Breed Chicken & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Beef & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Large Breed Beef & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Large Breed Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Trout & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Large Breed Trout & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Turkey & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Performance Recipe
Grain Inclusive Super Performance Recipe
Grain Inclusive Weight Management Recipe
Grain Inclusive Senior Recipe
Grain Free Small & Medium Breed Puppy Recipe
Grain Free Large Breed Puppy Recipe
Grain Free Small Bites Chicken & Pea Recipe
Grain Free Chicken & Pea Recipe
Grain Free Large Breed Chicken & Pea Recipe
Grain Free Lamb Meal & Peas Recipe
Grain Free Large Breed Lamb Meal & Peas Recipe
Grain Free Heartland Select Recipe
Grain Free Small Bites High Plains Select Recipe
Grain Free High Plains Select Recipe
Grain Free Prairie Select Recipe
Grain Free Small Bites Seafood Select Recipe
Grain Free Seafood Select
Grain Free Small Bites Woodlands Select Recipe
Grain Free Woodlands Select
Grain Free Weight Management Recipe
Grain Free Senior Recipe
Wet/Canned Dog Food
Grain Inclusive Chicken & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Chicken, Lamb & Ocean Fish
Grain Inclusive Lamb & Rice
Grain Inclusive Senior Recipe
Grain Inclusive Puppy Recipe
Grain Inclusive Small & Medium Breed Puppy Recipe
Grain Free Chicken
Grain Free Lamb
Grain Free Heartland Select
Grain Free High Plains Select
Grain Free Great Northwest Select
Grain Free Mediterranean Select
Grain Free Prairie Select
Grain Free Seafood Select
Grain Free Woodlands Select
Dry Cat Food
Grain Inclusive Cat & Kitten Chicken & Rice Recipe
Grain Inclusive Cat & Kitten Chicken Meal, Salmon & Liver Recipe
Grain Inclusive Senior/Weight Management Cat Recipe
Grain Free Country Select Recipe
Grain Free Ocean Select Recipe
Wet/Canned Cat Food
Grain Inclusive Chicken & Rice
Grain Inclusive Chicken, Turkey & Lamb
Grain Inclusive Chicken, Turkey, Lamb & Fish
Grain Free Chicken, Turkey & Lamb Select
Grain Free Chicken, Turkey & Fish Select
Grain Free Lamb & Lamb Liver Select
Grain Free Pork & Pork Liver Select
Grain Free Turkey & Turkey Liver Select
Grain Free Contry Select
Grain Free High Plains Select
Grain Free Meadow & Stream Select