Is ZIWI Peak or Stella & Chewy's better for dogs?

Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 on the v15 rubric. ZIWI Peak leads with novel-protein venison, six venison-derived ingredients in top eight positions, green-lipped mussel for natural joint support, and AAFCO large-breed-puppy substantiation. Stella & Chewy’s leads with freeze-dried format flexibility, broad retail distribution, conventional probiotic supplementation, and multi-decade brand track record. Pick ZIWI for novel-protein elimination diets and giant-breed puppies. Pick Stella & Chewy’s for serving-form flexibility and broad retail availability.

Is ZIWI Peak imported from New Zealand?

Yes. ZIWI Peak is manufactured in New Zealand using free-range venison, beef, lamb, mackerel + lamb, and tripe + lamb (varying by variant) sourced from New Zealand farms. ZIWI is widely imported and distributed in the US, Canada, EU, UK, and other international markets. For owners specifically wanting US-sourced air-dried food, Sundays is the US alternative (USDA-inspected beef, US small-batch production). For owners prioritizing New Zealand’s grass-fed free-range farming practices and the country’s relatively pristine environmental conditions (lower industrial-farming pressure than many countries), ZIWI is structurally aligned.

Can I use ZIWI Peak as a kibble topper?

Yes — air-dried ZIWI Peak can be crumbled or broken into smaller pieces as a kibble topper to boost protein content, palatability, and ingredient quality of a base kibble feed. This is a common feeding pattern for owners on a budget who want to upgrade nutritional quality without going to full sole-diet feeding cost. ZIWI’s 96% animal content means even small topper amounts deliver meaningful nutritional improvement over kibble alone. Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried patties can be similarly used as a topper, but the format is naturally more topper-friendly (lighter, more porous, easier to crumble) than ZIWI’s dense air-dried texture.

ZIWI Peak vs Stella & Chewy's: Which Is Better for Your Dog?

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The short answer: Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 on the v15 rubric. Both are A-tier whole-prey-model raw recipes in shelf-stable formats. ZIWI Peak leads with New Zealand free-range venison (novel protein), six venison-derived ingredients in the top eight positions, 96% animal-derived content, and New Zealand green-lipped mussel for natural glucosamine and ETA omega-3 in air-dried format. Stella & Chewy’s leads with US-sourced chicken in freeze-dried patties, conventional probiotic supplementation, broad retail distribution across PetSmart / Petco / Chewy.com / Amazon, and an established multi-decade brand track record. Pick on format (air-dried vs freeze-dried), protein (novel venison vs chicken), and convenience priority.

The scores

ZIWI Peak Venison Air-Dried Recipe: A (90/100) — Venison, Venison Tripe, Venison Heart, Venison Lung, Venison Liver.

Stella & Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Freeze-Dried Patties: A (90/100) — Chicken (Includes Ground Chicken Bone), Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, Pumpkin Seed, Organic Cranberries.

How the ingredients compare

The top-five ingredients reveal the formulation split between these two products:

ZIWI Peak: Venison, Venison Tripe, Venison Heart, Venison Lung, Venison Liver

Stella & Chewy's: Chicken (Includes Ground Chicken Bone), Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, Pumpkin Seed, Organic Cranberries

Both products earn effectively the same v15 score, but the ingredient lineups tell different stories about how they got there — that is where the actual pick decision lives.

Where ZIWI Peak pulls ahead

Novel-protein venison + six venison-derived ingredients in top eight positions: ZIWI Peak leads with New Zealand free-range venison plus venison tripe + heart + lung + liver + kidney + bone + cartilage — an unusually deep single-protein stack. Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken includes chicken + chicken liver + chicken gizzard at primary positions but doesn’t stack as many organ varieties. For dogs with chicken sensitivities needing a novel-protein alternative with deep organ-meat density, ZIWI Peak is structurally specialized. Shop on Amazon →

New Zealand green-lipped mussel for natural glucosamine and ETA omega-3: ZIWI includes green-lipped mussel at #7 — structurally meaningful for joint support (the only natural source of ETA fatty acid). Stella & Chewy’s doesn’t include green-lipped mussel; it does include conventional probiotic supplementation, which serves a different (microbiome-axis) function. For dogs with joint sensitivity or breed-disposition orthopedic concerns, ZIWI’s green-lipped mussel is structurally aligned.

96% animal-derived content + AAFCO large-breed-puppy substantiation: ZIWI Peak runs 96% animal ingredients — one of the highest ratios in commercial dog food. AAFCO substantiation explicitly covers growth of large-size dogs (70+ lb adult weight), the higher AAFCO bar requiring controlled calcium percentages. Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried patties are AAFCO-substantiated for all life stages but cross-check the specific calcium percentage for large-breed-puppy growth.

Where Stella & Chewy's holds its own

Freeze-dried format flexibility (broader serving versatility): Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried patties can be fed as-is (dry), rehydrated with warm water (stew-like), broken up as kibble topper, or used as training treats — the format flexibility is structurally broader than air-dried. ZIWI air-dried is fed as-is from the bag, similar to kibble; the format is convenient but less serving-form-flexible. For owners who use raw food in multiple serving modes (dry, rehydrated, topper, treats), Stella & Chewy’s is the structurally adaptable pick. Shop on Amazon →

Broad retail distribution + established multi-decade brand track record: Stella & Chewy’s has been operating since 2003 with broad distribution across PetSmart, Petco, Chewy.com, Amazon, and independent pet retailers nationwide. ZIWI Peak is widely distributed in the US but with concentration in premium-pet-retail and independent pet stores. For owners wanting raw-feeding-philosophy with maximum retail availability, Stella & Chewy’s is the structural pick.

Conventional probiotic supplementation for microbiome support: Stella & Chewy’s includes guaranteed-stability probiotic supplementation in the formula (typically Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains at 10-100 million CFU per scoop). ZIWI doesn’t include direct probiotic supplementation. For dogs with chronic GI sensitivity or post-antibiotic dysbiosis needing microbiome-axis support, Stella & Chewy’s probiotic inclusion is structurally aligned (though for maximum probiotic density, the fermented-raw category — Answers Pet Food — supplies higher CFU loads via raw kefir).

The bottom line

Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 — the pick comes down to format, protein, and brand-availability priority. Pick ZIWI Peak for novel-protein venison (elimination-diet utility), six venison-derived ingredients with deep organ-meat density, New Zealand green-lipped mussel for natural joint support, 96% animal content, and AAFCO large-breed-puppy substantiation. Pick Stella & Chewy’s for freeze-dried format flexibility (dry / rehydrated / topper / treats), broad retail distribution across PetSmart / Petco / Chewy.com / Amazon, conventional probiotic supplementation, and established multi-decade brand track record.