The official recipe finder currently lists products for both dogs and cats, encompassing dry and wet foods, puppy and kitten formulations, adult maintenance diets, as well as grain-free and grain-inclusive options.[2]

Taste Of The Wild operates under Diamond Pet Foods, a company with origins dating back to 1970. Diamond was established by brothers-in-law Gary Schell and Richard Kampeter, who aimed to produce high-quality pet food at an affordable price point. They acquired a former milling facility in Meta, Missouri, to launch the business.[3]

Diamond subsequently expanded its manufacturing footprint across the United States, establishing or enlarging facilities in states including Missouri, California, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Kansas. The company states that the second generation of the Schell and Kampeter families continues to own and operate the business.

Taste Of The Wild was developed as a wholly owned Diamond Pet Foods brand. According to the company, it has always been owned by Diamond and was created to offer pet food inspired by what dogs and cats would naturally seek out based on their ancestral diets.[4]

The brand’s philosophy is summarised as:

Nature-inspired nutrition + distinctive animal proteins + affordability

Rather than attempting to replicate a wild animal’s diet literally, Taste Of The Wild uses the concept of ancestral nutrition as inspiration for its formulations.

The central premise of Taste Of The Wild is that modern domestic dogs and cats retain biological characteristics inherited from their ancestors. Consequently, the brand emphasises animal proteins and ingredients associated with ancestral diets. Marketing materials frequently highlight proteins such as bison, venison, salmon, trout, beef, lamb, and fowl.[5]

This philosophy aligns with the company’s original goal of providing premium-oriented nutrition at a price lower than some highly specialised premium brands. Taste Of The Wild describes itself as seeking quality nutrition at a fair value.[6]

It is important to note that “Taste Of The Wild” is a brand concept rather than a claim that the food is literally wild-harvested or that pets should consume the exact diet of wild predators.

Taste Of The Wild primarily manufactures food for dogs and cats.

Dog food

Dog recipes feature formulas based on proteins such as:

• Bison
• Venison
• Beef
• Lamb
• Salmon
• Trout
• Turkey
• Duck
• Wild boar
• Various poultry and fowl proteins

The official recipe database includes both grain-free and grain-inclusive options, alongside specific formulas for puppies and adult dogs.[7]

Cat food

The brand offers feline formulas featuring fish, poultry, and meat-based proteins. Dry feline recipes are specifically formulated with the Viables® probiotic system.

Wet food

Taste Of The Wild also produces canned and wet recipes. These are described as combinations of meat and vegetables in gravy, supplemented with essential vitamins and minerals.[8]

A distinctive sub-line within the portfolio is Taste Of The Wild PREY.

PREY is designed around a limited-ingredient approach. Instead of using a broad mixture of proteins and carbohydrates, these recipes rely on a small number of principal ingredients.

According to the company, PREY dog recipes contain four key ingredients:

1. A principal animal protein
2. Lentils
3. Dried tomato pomace
4. Chicken fat

Cat formulas utilise an even simpler ingredient structure.[9]

Examples of PREY proteins include:

• Pasture-raised Angus beef
• Cage-free turkey
• Trout

The company states that PREY recipes contain no rendered meats or by-product meals and are formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition.[10]

The fundamental distinction between the lines is:

Taste Of The Wild:
Broader combinations of proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables.

Taste Of The Wild PREY:
Simpler, limited-ingredient formulations centred around a primary animal protein.

Ingredients are central to the Taste Of The Wild identity. The company emphasises distinctive animal proteins and components such as:

• Bison
• Venison
• Salmon
• Trout
• Beef
• Lamb
• Turkey
• Duck
• Ancient grains
• Lentils
• Quinoa
• Chia seed
• Fruits and vegetables

Ancient-grain recipes specifically incorporate ingredients such as sorghum, millet, quinoa, and chia seed.[11]

The brand also employs various preparation techniques to enhance palatability, with the website highlighting roasted and smoked flavours as part of this approach.[12]

Taste Of The Wild is strongly associated with grain-free pet food, as many of its earlier and flagship formulas use alternative carbohydrate sources. However, the current portfolio is not exclusively grain-free.

Grain-free recipes

These generally utilise legumes and potatoes as carbohydrate sources.

Ancient-grain recipes

These incorporate grains such as:

• Sorghum
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Chia seed

The availability of both categories allows the brand to cater to owners seeking either grain-free or grain-inclusive diets.[13]

A notable feature of Taste Of The Wild dry foods is the inclusion of proprietary probiotics. According to the company:

• Dry dog recipes use K9 Strain® Probiotics
• Dry cat recipes use Viables® Probiotics

Taste Of The Wild states these probiotics were specifically developed for its dog and cat foods to support digestive health.[14] This forms a significant part of the brand’s nutritional positioning beyond its emphasis on meat-based proteins.

Taste Of The Wild states that its products are developed and produced in the United States. The company indicates its products are manufactured at seven facilities in the US, with ingredients sourced from both domestic and international suppliers.[15]

It is worth noting that “Made in the USA” does not imply every ingredient is American. The company’s position is that finished products are manufactured in US facilities while ingredients may originate from global suppliers.

Diamond Pet Foods similarly states that all its manufacturing facilities are located entirely within the United States.

Quality and food safety are integral to Diamond’s corporate positioning. Taste Of The Wild states that ingredients undergo supplier evaluation and that the company continuously monitors ingredients, manufacturing environments, and production processes.

Diamond collects and tests samples from every manufactured product, retaining them for approximately the product’s guaranteed shelf life, typically 12 months.

Taste Of The Wild also confirms that its meat suppliers are USDA inspected and approved, and that the company actively monitors supply chains and ingredient safety.[16]

Taste Of The Wild states its recipes are formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition and to meet applicable US regulatory and nutritional requirements. The company confirms its recipes follow AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced pet foods.

AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) is significant in the US pet food industry, as its nutrient profiles and model regulations serve as the basis for nutritional adequacy statements.

Taste Of The Wild’s history includes a notable food safety episode. According to the brand, there was a voluntary recall in 2012 involving potential product contamination. Taste Of The Wild states that subsequent testing found no Taste Of The Wild product was contaminated.[12]

Diamond provides a similar account of the 2012 recall, describing it as precautionary and voluntary, noting that subsequent testing did not detect contamination in its products.

For current regulatory actions, the FDA maintains an official database of animal food recalls and withdrawals, which serves as the appropriate reference source.

Grain-free and DCM discussion

Taste Of The Wild has been mentioned in the context of the broader grain-free dog food and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) debate. The company states that the FDA has not established a causal relationship between a particular diet and DCM, noting that DCM is a complex disease involving multiple factors.[14]

Scientific and regulatory discussions on this topic remain nuanced. For individual pets, a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist is the appropriate authority for dietary decisions.

Taste Of The Wild occupies a distinct position in the pet food market, presenting itself as:

More nature-inspired than conventional supermarket food
↓
Protein-focused and ingredient-conscious
↓
Intended to be relatively accessible in price

Branding relies heavily on imagery of wilderness, mountains, forests, wildlife, hunting, adventure, and natural landscapes. This fosters an emotional connection between the pet owner’s perception of nature and the nutritional needs of domesticated animals.

The brand appeals particularly to pet owners who:

• Seek food centred around animal proteins
• Prefer distinctive proteins such as bison or venison
• Respond to nature-inspired branding
• Are interested in grain-free or ancient-grain diets
• Desire alternatives to conventional chicken or beef formulas
• Want premium-oriented food without purchasing the most expensive specialist diets
• Are interested in limited-ingredient options through the PREY range

Taste Of The Wild therefore targets the premium and mainstream-premium pet food segments.

Although Taste Of The Wild is an American brand, it is distributed internationally. Diamond Pet Foods states its products are trusted in all 50 US states and approximately 100 countries worldwide.[15]

The brand has established regional websites and distribution channels in international markets, including Japan and Australia.[13][14]

A critical fact regarding Taste Of The Wild is its corporate structure. Taste Of The Wild is not an independent company separate from Diamond Pet Foods.

The corporate hierarchy is:

Schell & Kampeter, Inc.
↓
Diamond Pet Foods
↓
Taste Of The Wild
↓
Dog & cat food products

Diamond Pet Foods is a family-owned, privately held company established in 1970 and remains controlled by the Schell and Kampeter families.[16]

The trademarks Taste Of The Wild and Taste Of The Wild PREY are registered to Diamond Pet Foods.[15]

Key defining characteristics of Taste Of The Wild include:

Protein-focused

Animal proteins are central to the brand’s recipes and marketing.

Nature-inspired

Recipes and branding are grounded in the concept of ancestral and natural diets.

Unusual proteins

Bison, venison, trout, wild boar, and other less conventional proteins distinguish the brand.

Multiple carbohydrate philosophies

The portfolio now includes both grain-free and ancient-grain recipes.

Probiotic-focused

Proprietary probiotics are incorporated into dry dog and cat recipes.

US-manufactured

Products are developed and manufactured in US facilities.

Family-owned parent company

Taste Of The Wild belongs to Diamond Pet Foods, which remains family-owned.

Value-oriented premium

The brand combines premium-style ingredients and positioning with relatively accessible pricing.

The name “Taste Of The Wild” communicates the company’s marketing philosophy:

“Taste” → Palatability and appealing flavours
“Wild” → Ancestral instincts and natural diets

The brand does not claim domestic dogs and cats are wild animals; rather, it uses evolutionary ancestry as inspiration for protein and ingredient selection.

Its official tagline is “A modern diet, inspired by nature.”[16] This phrase encapsulates the brand as a modern commercial pet food designed around a nature-inspired nutritional concept.

Taste Of The Wild is a US pet food brand owned by the family-operated Diamond Pet Foods. It produces dog and cat food inspired by ancestral diets, emphasising animal proteins such as bison, venison, salmon, trout, and beef. The portfolio includes dry and wet foods, grain-free and ancient-grain recipes, and the limited-ingredient PREY line. Products are manufactured in the United States, and the brand is marketed around nature-inspired nutrition, distinctive proteins, probiotics, food safety, and accessible premium nutrition.[15]

Ultimately, Taste Of The Wild is best understood as a nature-inspired, protein-focused pet food brand under Diamond Pet Foods rather than a separate manufacturer. Its primary differentiators are its ancestral-diet concept, unique protein choices, the PREY limited-ingredient line, and its combination of premium positioning with value-oriented pricing.

1. About Our Company — Taste of the Wild Pet Food
2. What company owns Taste of the Wild? – Taste of the Wild Pet Food
3. Recipe Finder — Taste of the Wild Pet Food
4. Taste of the Wild Pet Food | Dog and Cat Food Brands
5. Recipe Finder — Taste of the Wild Pet Food
6. Taste of the Wild Frequently Asked Questions
7. Taste of the Wild Copyright & Trademark Information
8. Taste of the Wild › Dog Food Reviews
9. Taste of the Wild Recall History and Pet Food Brand Info | Petful
10. Is Taste of the Wild family-owned? – Taste of the Wild Pet Food
11. Quality & Composition – Taste of the Wild
12. Taste of the Wild Pet Food Recall History | PawDiet
13. テイストオブザワイルドとは | ブランドについて | Taste of the Wild Japan
14. テイストオブザワイルド Japan | プレミアムグレインフリーペットフード
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16. OUR BRAND