Orijen dog food review: is the ultra-high-protein kibble worth it?

Orijen sits at the very top of the “biologically appropriate” kibble category — the flagship, most expensive line from Champion Petfoods, the Canadian company that also makes the more affordable Acana. If you have seen Orijen’s protein numbers and price tag on a specialist pet shop shelf and wondered whether it is worth the jump, here is a balanced look at what you actually get.

What is Orijen?

Orijen is made by Champion Petfoods, founded in Alberta, Canada in 1985 and acquired by Mars Petcare in February 2023. Its recipes are cooked in Champion’s own kitchens in Kentucky (US) and Alberta (Canada) rather than by third-party co-packers. The pitch is “WholePrey” nutrition: a very high proportion of fresh or raw regional meat, organs, cartilage and bone, meant to mimic the ratio of nutrients a dog’s wild ancestors would get from a whole animal, with minimal carbohydrate filler.

Most of the range is grain-free, with recipes like Original, Six Fish, Regional Red and Tundra built around 85–90% animal ingredients from multiple protein sources. Champion also sells an Amazing Grains line under the Orijen name for owners who want a grain-inclusive option, plus formulas for puppies, small breeds and different life stages.

The pros owners report

• Exceptional meat inclusion — typically 85–90% animal ingredients, among the highest of any mainstream kibble brand.
• Made in Champion’s own kitchens rather than outsourced, which owners often cite as a quality and traceability reassurance.
• No mandatory recall in Champion Petfoods’ four-decade history, across either Orijen or its sibling Acana.
• Multiple animal proteins per bag (poultry, fish, and often boar or other regional meats), which some owners find useful for variety.
• Many owners report smaller, firmer stools, less shedding and better coat condition, which they attribute to the very high protein and low carbohydrate content.

The cons and common complaints

• It is genuinely expensive — Orijen usually costs more per bag than Acana and most other premium kibbles, and that adds up fast for large or multiple dogs.
• The richness and protein density mean some dogs, especially those with sensitive stomachs, need a slower-than-usual transition or looser stools if switched too quickly.
• Most of the range is grain-free, which puts it inside the FDA’s ongoing grain-free/DCM discussion (see below) — worth knowing even though no cause has been confirmed.
• Champion Petfoods has faced class-action lawsuits alleging heavy metals and BPA in Orijen and Acana recipes; a US district court dismissed the heavy-metal fraud-by-omission claims in March 2022.

Has Orijen been recalled?

Orijen has no mandatory recall on record with either the FDA or Canada’s CFIA — Champion Petfoods says it has never had a recall across more than 40 years of production, in the US or Canada. The one blemish worth knowing about is a 2018 voluntary limited market withdrawal of select Orijen and Acana products made at Champion’s newly opened Kentucky facility, after some batches showed elevated moisture levels that could affect food quality; it was not linked to contamination, pathogens or illness. Separately, in June 2019 the FDA named Orijen as one of 16 brands under review in its investigation into a possible link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs — an ongoing, unproven correlation rather than an established cause, and not a recall. Given that most Orijen recipes are grain-free, owners considering the brand may want to read up on that context rather than dismiss it outright.

How it compares

Orijen is the premium end of the shelf its sibling brand Acana also occupies — same Champion Petfoods philosophy, higher meat percentage, and a noticeably higher price. Against mainstream brands like Blue Buffalo or Purina Pro Plan, Orijen sits well above on both protein content and cost. If you would rather feed fresh, human-grade food instead of kibble entirely, see our fresh dog food comparison for options like Ollie and The Farmer’s Dog. And if you are ever unsure whether something your dog got into is safe, our is-this-safe checker is a quick way to check.

The verdict

Orijen is one of the highest-meat, most carefully sourced kibbles on the market, with a clean mandatory-recall record and manufacturing you can trace to Champion’s own kitchens. It suits owners who want the closest thing to a whole-prey diet in kibble form, are comfortable with a slow transition, and can absorb a top-tier price. If budget is tight, your dog does better on a lower-protein diet, or you are wary of the grain-free/DCM discussion, Acana or a grain-inclusive option is worth comparing first.