Pedigree

Who Makes It

Pedigree is a mass-market dog food brand owned by Mars, Incorporated and sold in the US by Mars Petcare US, which is based in Franklin, Tennessee. It makes dry food, wet food and treats, and the company says its recipes are developed with science from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute. The brand is also known for backing the PEDIGREE Foundation, an independent nonprofit that supports shelter dog adoption. ^{1, 2, 3}

Where It Is Made

Mars makes Pedigree in its own plants. A 2019 Mars press release said Pedigree is among the brands produced at its plant in Mattoon, Illinois, which it described as the largest producer of dry pet food and treats in its North American network. ⁴

History

According to the brand, Pedigree launched in 1960 in the United Kingdom as PEDIGREE CHUM canned dog food and entered the US through Mars's Kal Kan brand in 1968. Mars acquired Kal Kan Foods of Los Angeles in 1968, and in 1988 Kal Kan renamed its dog food Pedigree, the name Mars used outside the US. In August 2026 the brand reformulated its classic adult dry food to add what it calls Vitamin GoodBites kibble pieces. ^{1, 5, 6}

Worth Knowing

In May 2024 Mars Petcare recalled 315 bags of 44 lb PEDIGREE Adult Complete Nutrition Grilled Steak & Vegetable dry food sold at Walmart stores in four states because loose metal pieces might be in the bags. In July 2026 it recalled two lots of PEDIGREE Can High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck wet food (185,184 cans) that were meant to be destroyed but were apparently diverted and sold, and that may contain metal and plastic. ^{7, 8}

1. pedigree.com/about-us
2. pedigree.com
3. cbsnews.com/news/walmart-pedigree-dog-food-recall-metal
4. prnewswire.com/news-releases/mars-petcare-celebrates-40-year-anniversary-of-mattoon-manufacturing-site-300872427.html
5. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedigree_Petfoods
6. prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-pedigree-brand-elevates-its-classic-adult-dog-food-with-reformulated-recipes-featuring-new-vitamin-goodbites-kibble-for-a-nutrient-boost-302847562.html
7. fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/mars-petcare-us-inc-voluntarily-recalls-315-bags-pedigreer-adult-complete-nutrition-grilled-steak
8. fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/voluntary-recall-two-lots-pedigreer-can-high-protein-chopped-chicken-duck-flavor-wet-dog-food-due

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