Diamond Naturals

Diamond Naturals scores in the mid-range on Chowmark. Founded in 1970 and owned by Schell & Kampeter (the parent company of Diamond Pet Foods), Diamond Naturals is a family-owned brand that manufactures entirely in the US — a genuine differentiator in a category where offshore manufacturing is common.

The brand has recorded four lifetime recalls. The most consequential was the 2012 Diamond Pet Foods Salmonella outbreak, which infected at least 16 humans across 9 US states, caused 5 hospitalisations, and triggered recalls across multiple Diamond-manufactured brands including Diamond Naturals, Kirkland Signature, Natural Balance, Taste of the Wild, and Canidae. The CDC traced the outbreak to Diamond's Gaston, South Carolina facility, where FDA inspectors subsequently identified unsanitary manufacturing conditions. That 2012 event is the most significant food safety incident in Diamond Pet Foods' history and is directly relevant to any evaluation of Diamond Naturals.

Diamond Naturals does not meet WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines. The brand does not publish peer-reviewed research and does not publicly employ a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Formulas are AAFCO-compliant.

What Diamond Naturals does well: US manufacturing, real meat as the first ingredient across most formulas, no artificial colours or flavours, and competitive pricing relative to the ingredient quality offered. The brand has not had a confirmed recall in the past five years.

The bottom line: Diamond Naturals is a reasonable mid-market choice for pet owners who prioritise US manufacturing and clean ingredient lists at an accessible price. The 2012 Salmonella recall is historical context every buyer should know. The brand has improved its manufacturing practices since then, but the incident is part of the record.