Parent company: Diamond Pet Foods ·
Origin: US ·
Lifetime recalls: 1
Evidence Base Score: 30/100 — Very Poor
WSAVA criteria: not publicly confirmed
Editorial Review
Taste of the Wild scores in the mid-range on Chowmark. Established in 2007 and owned by Diamond Pet Foods (Schell & Kampeter), Taste of the Wild is one of the most popular grain-free pet food brands in the US market.
The brand has recorded four lifetime recalls. The most significant was the 2012 Diamond Pet Foods Salmonella recall, which infected at least 16 humans across 9 states and was traced to Diamond's Gaston, South Carolina manufacturing facility. Taste of the Wild was among the brands directly affected. That event is the most consequential in the brand's history and should be part of any honest evaluation.
There is a second material safety issue specific to Taste of the Wild's grain-free positioning: in July 2018, the FDA issued a statement investigating a potential link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. Taste of the Wild was named in that investigation, which focused on legume-heavy, grain-free formulas. The FDA's 2019 update identified Taste of the Wild as one of the brands most frequently associated with DCM reports. As of 2024, the FDA has not issued a formal recall or conclusive causal finding, but the investigation remains open and the association is documented. For pet owners with breeds predisposed to DCM (Golden Retrievers, Dobermans, Boxers, Great Danes), this is material information.
Taste of the Wild 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 Taste of the Wild does well: high-protein formulas with novel protein sources (bison, venison, salmon, roasted fowl), no artificial colours or preservatives, and competitive pricing relative to the ingredient quality offered.
The bottom line: Taste of the Wild is a popular grain-free brand with a real recall history and an active FDA DCM investigation that pet owners — especially those with at-risk breeds — should know about. It is not a brand Chowmark recommends without that context.