Pet Food Brand
Natural Balance
Founded by actor Dick Van Patten. The Limited Ingredient Diets (L.I.D.) line is one of the most widely-used elimination-diet options in US retail, featuring single-animal-protein + single-carbohydrate formulations in novel-protein varieties (sweet potato & fish, lamb & brown rice, etc.).
At a glance
- Parent company
- Nexus Capital Management (spun off from Del Monte / Big Heart 2020)
- Founded
- 1989
- Headquarters
- Burbank, California, USA
- Made in
- USA
- AAFCO method
- AAFCO feeding trials conducted
- Typical price tier
- Mid-range
- Pet types
- Dogs, Cats
Product lines
Recall history
2018-06-14
Class IIJ.M. Smucker / Nutrish / Natural Balance — montelukast
2010-10-11
Class INatural Balance Sweet Potato & Chicken — Salmonella
Typical ingredients
Common across the brand's formulations — specific SKUs vary. Always scan the actual label.
Common questions about Natural Balance
Is Natural Balance L.I.D. good for allergies?
For single-allergen dogs, yes — L.I.D. (Limited Ingredient Diets) uses one animal protein + one carbohydrate in each formula (e.g. sweet potato & fish, lamb & brown rice). Works for many dogs with confirmed single-protein allergy. For multi-allergic cases or severe eczema, Rx hydrolyzed protein diets are more reliable. L.I.D. runs roughly half the price of Rx alternatives.
Who owns Natural Balance?
Nexus Capital Management, spun off from Del Monte / Big Heart Pet Brands in 2020. Previously owned by Smucker (2018-2020). Natural Balance was founded in 1989 by actor Dick Van Patten. The brand has changed hands multiple times in the last decade — relevant context for any claims about consistent sourcing or formulation philosophy.
Has Natural Balance been recalled?
Yes, October 2010 — Sweet Potato & Chicken dry dog food, salmonella. And June 2018 — L.I.D. Green Pea & Chicken cat food, elevated montelukast (asthma drug contamination from a feed-mill cross-contamination upstream, joint recall with Rachael Ray Nutrish). Full FDA URLs on the brand page.
Scan a specific Natural Balance product
Brand-level typicals don't cover every SKU. Upload a photo of the actual food label and the scanner checks the ingredient list against your pet's allergen profile in a minute.
Scan a label →Factual brand reference sourced from FDA enforcement reports, AAFCO publications, and manufacturer disclosures. Not an endorsement or a ranking.