What's actually in Royal Canin?
We analyzed Royal Canin Medium Adult, one of their most popular products. The top seven ingredients are brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, oat groats, wheat, corn protein meal, chicken fat, and natural flavors.
This is a grain-first formula that's common in the mid-tier mainstream category, though it's priced above most of its peers. Brewers rice — a milling byproduct, essentially broken rice fragments — is the very first ingredient. That means a grain, not a protein source, is the most abundant component in this food. Chicken by-product meal at number two provides concentrated protein but from lower-quality parts (organs, necks, bones). Oat groats at number three and wheat at number four mean three of the top four ingredients are grains. Corn protein meal at number five (the current AAFCO name for what used to be called corn gluten meal) is a plant-based protein concentrate used to boost protein numbers cheaply. Chicken fat at number six and natural flavors at number seven round out the top of the formula. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
Royal Canin does include some genuinely positive functional ingredients that many competitors skip. Fish oil provides omega-3 fatty acids for skin, coat, and joint health. Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) prebiotics support beneficial gut bacteria and digestive health. Chelated minerals improve nutrient absorption. These are quality additions that reflect the brand's research-driven approach.
The company's breed-specific formulas — where kibble shape, size, and nutrient profile are calibrated for specific breeds — represent a legitimately innovative approach to pet nutrition. Royal Canin is owned by Mars Petcare, and they fund extensive feeding trials and clinical studies with board-certified veterinary nutritionists.
The not-so-good stuff
A grain as the lead ingredient is the headline concern. Brewers rice being number one means this is fundamentally a grain-based food with protein supplements added, not a protein-forward formula. For a brand that charges premium prices, starting with a milling byproduct is hard to justify on ingredients alone.
Corn protein meal at number five is a plant-based protein concentrate — it's there to boost the protein percentage cheaply, not because dogs need it. Three of the top five ingredients are grains (brewers rice, oat groats, wheat), which means the bulk of this food is carbohydrate filler. "Natural flavors" as a vague, unspecified ingredient rounds out the concerns.
The transparency question compounds the pricing gap. Royal Canin's marketing leans heavily on veterinary authority and breed-specific science, but they're less forthcoming about ingredient sourcing than many competitors. The overall takeaway is a mediocre formula at a premium price — not dangerous, just overpriced for what's in the bag.
How it compares
Royal Canin's C/58 score puts it on par with Purina ONE (C/58) and Beneful (C/58), and a few points behind Iams (C/63), Hill's Science Diet (C/61), and Purina Pro Plan (C/62). For one of the most expensive kibbles on the shelf, tying with Beneful and scoring below Iams ProActive Health — which costs a fraction of the price — is a real value problem.
Meanwhile, Blue Buffalo, Taste of the Wild, and Diamond Naturals all score B/78 — a full grade higher — at comparable or lower prices. The "cheaper brands score better" critique still holds, just with narrower margins than Royal Canin's price tag would suggest.
The exception is their Veterinary Diet line, which is a therapeutic product prescribed for specific medical conditions and is a different conversation entirely.
Read the full breakdowns in our head-to-head comparisons: Royal Canin vs Hill’s Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan vs Royal Canin, and Solid Gold vs Royal Canin.
The bottom line
Royal Canin earns a C grade (58/100) from KibbleIQ — an average mainstream kibble that costs premium prices. The fish oil, prebiotics, and chelated minerals are real additions, and the breed-specific research has merit. But brewers rice as the first ingredient and three grains in the top five keep this firmly in mid-tier territory despite the price. If your vet prescribes a Royal Canin therapeutic diet, follow that advice. For everyday feeding, comparably priced alternatives deliver meaningfully better ingredient quality. Shop on Amazon →