The scores
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate: B (78/100) — Dehydrated chicken, organ meat (chicken liver), ancient grains (spelt, oats), herring oil, and a targeted superfood blend including pomegranate and artichoke.
Acana Red Meat Recipe: B (88/100) — Three fresh named meats and three meat meals before any carb, organ meats (liver, tripe, kidney), herring oil, and an extensive superfood blend from Champion Petfoods.
How the ingredients compare
The top five ingredients show fundamentally different approaches:
Farmina: Dehydrated Chicken, Whole Spelt, Whole Oats, Chicken Fat, Dried Beet Pulp
Acana: Fresh Angus Beef, Fresh Yorkshire Pork, Fresh Grass-Fed Lamb, Beef Meal, Pork Meal
Acana packs five animal ingredients into the top five — no carbs, no fillers, just meat. Farmina leads with one concentrated protein then moves to grains by position two. This is the single biggest structural difference: Acana is a meat-first formula with carbs as a supplement; Farmina is a balanced formula where grains play a major role alongside protein.
Both include organ meat — a rarity in commercial kibble. Acana includes beef liver, pork liver, beef tripe, and beef kidney across multiple species. Farmina uses dehydrated chicken liver. The breadth of Acana's organ inclusion is wider, but Farmina deserves credit for including it at all when most brands don't.
Where Acana pulls ahead
Protein density: Six animal ingredients before the first carbohydrate is the most meat-intensive formula in the B tier. The variety — beef, pork, lamb across fresh and meal forms — delivers an amino acid profile that single-protein formulas can't match. This is the primary reason Acana scores 2 points higher.
Organ diversity: Liver, tripe, and kidney from multiple species provide a broader micronutrient profile than Farmina's chicken liver alone. Tripe in particular is rich in digestive enzymes and probiotics that most kibbles lack entirely.
Superfood breadth: Pumpkin, butternut squash, zucchini, kale, spinach, cranberries, blueberries, turmeric, and milk thistle. Farmina's pomegranate, artichoke, carob, and dried tomato are impressive, but Acana's botanical list is longer and includes functional anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric. Shop on Amazon →
Where Farmina holds its own
Grain-inclusive formula: This is Farmina's strongest advantage and potentially the deciding factor. Whole spelt and whole oats replace the pea-and-legume base that Acana relies on. The FDA's ongoing investigation into grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) applies directly to Acana but not to Farmina. For owners of predisposed breeds — Dobermans, Boxers, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers — this alone may outweigh Acana's protein advantage.
Ancient grain quality: Spelt and oats are low-glycemic ancient grains with better nutrient profiles than the corn, wheat, and rice used in mainstream formulas. Farmina isn't just grain-inclusive — it's using the right grains. This is a meaningful differentiator from brands that achieve "grain-inclusive" status with cheap corn and wheat.
Targeted superfoods: Pomegranate provides ellagic acid (a potent antioxidant linked to cardiovascular health in research). Artichoke supports liver function. These are specific, functional inclusions chosen for particular health benefits — a more intentional approach than Acana's broader but less targeted botanical blend.
Dehydrated protein: Farmina uses dehydrated chicken rather than fresh chicken. Dehydrated protein has already had water removed, so its position at #1 accurately reflects its true protein contribution after cooking — unlike fresh meat, which drops significantly down the list once moisture is removed during processing. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Acana wins on raw ingredient intensity — more meat, more organs, more superfoods — and the 10-point gap reflects that protein density advantage. Farmina wins on formulation philosophy — ancient grains over legumes, targeted nutrition over volume, and zero DCM-related concerns. If DCM risk matters for your breed (Dobermans, Boxers, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers), Farmina's grain-inclusive formula is the safer choice despite the lower score. If maximum animal protein density is the priority and DCM isn't a concern, Acana delivers significantly more of it.