Dry dog food: Merrick wins
Merrick's Real Texas Beef + Sweet Potato Grain-Free scores 74 to 70. The biggest difference is nutrition standards, where Merrick leads by 9.2 points.
| Merrick | Blue Buffalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Real Texas Beef + Sweet Potato Grain-Free | Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice |
| Grade | C (74/100) | C (70/100) |
| Safety and recalls | 27.8/30 | 23/30 |
| Nutrition standards (WSAVA) | 25/25 | 15.8/25 |
| Owner rating | 4.4★ (2,736) | 4.7★ (29,400) |
| Value | $1.88 per 1,000 kcal | $1.37 per 1,000 kcal |
| Brand-line recalls since 2016 | 1 | 4 |
| Made by | Nestlé Purina PetCare | Blue Buffalo (General Mills) |
Wet dog food: Merrick wins
Merrick's Grain-Free Real Texas Beef Dinner scores 75 to 60. The biggest difference is nutrition standards, where Merrick leads by 9.2 points.
| Merrick | Blue Buffalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Grain-Free Real Texas Beef Dinner | Homestyle Recipe Chicken Dinner |
| Grade | B (75/100) | D (60/100) |
| Safety and recalls | 27.8/30 | 20.1/30 |
| Nutrition standards (WSAVA) | 25/25 | 15.8/25 |
| Owner rating | 4.5★ (634) | 4.5★ (2,712) |
| Value | $0.30 per oz | $0.24 per oz |
| Brand-line recalls since 2016 | 1 | 4 |
| Made by | Nestlé Purina PetCare | Blue Buffalo (General Mills) |
Questions
Is Merrick better than Blue Buffalo?
Merrick comes out ahead, winning 2 of 2 categories in our grades. Dry dog foods: Merrick 74, Blue Buffalo 70. Wet dog foods: Merrick 75, Blue Buffalo 60. Scores are out of 100.
Which is cheaper, Merrick or Blue Buffalo?
For dry dog foods, Blue Buffalo costs less ($1.88 per 1,000 kcal vs $1.37 per 1,000 kcal). For wet dog foods, Blue Buffalo costs less ($0.30 per oz vs $0.24 per oz).
Have Merrick or Blue Buffalo had recalls?
Since 2016 we found 1 recall for Merrick brand lines and 4 for Blue Buffalo. Each brand page lists them with sources.
Prices, ratings and recalls checked October 2026. We compare each brand's top-selling product in each category. How we grade.