Natural Balance representative at Petco told me Diamond does not make their food.
 

I went to Petco to see if I could get the small bag of Nature's Variety limited ingredient and the guy pointed me to NB, I told him I wasn't comfortable with Diamond food, 2 minutes later I had the NB representative talking to me.
She was a very sweet lady and she assured me NB makes their own food in they own plant and that they have a lab like CIS etc, etc. She said that after that big recall scare in 2007 they decided they would meke their own food.

Everything you research about NB links them to Diamond making their food. Why would she tell me any different.

Diamond does not make their food in the way that Diamond makes TOTW. TOTW IS a Diamond-brand food, whereas Natural Balance is sourcing their OWN ingredients into a Diamond plant.

Also, I don't think all of their formulas are manufactured at Diamond - just most of them. I believe their Alpha line is made by CJ Foods in Kansas.

She's probably misinformed herself. But they definitely don't have their own plant. They do claim to have their workers over-seeing everything, and checking each batch, etc.

For some reason, though, I do hold a soft spot for NB. I like their simple formulas, and have seen dogs do well on them, and their company does seem to take pride in what they're doing. I like that you can enter the number on your bag and see the info, etc. I wish they would follow in suit to Canidae and make their own plant.

Here's the testing facility, which is pretty cool:

Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc. Screening Tests

Yeah, that's what I think. I wish I could trust NB.
Thanks!

Here is a copy of the email I received a few days ago from Natural Balance. I had contacted them with my concerns over their product..specifically the LID Sweet Potato and Venison (only food out of many that I have tried ,and my Jada thrives on with NB her allergies)...
Subject: Re: Natural Balance

Hi Michelle,
We appreciate your questions and thank you for contacting us. Natural Balance products are made in our own plant in Southern California as well as select co-manufacturers across the country. This includes Diamond’s South Carolina plant. Diamond has been in contact with us and has told us that Natural Balance products are not involved in their voluntary recall. The only product affected is Diamond’s Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice.

Diamond Pet Foods has placed a hold on their production, because they are implementing a hold and test program as a means to improve their ability to screen for potential contaminants. Natural Balance has been doing this kind of testing since 2007.

Natural Balance’s hold and test program means that once product arrives in our warehouse, we hold the product and test every lot in house for nine contaminants, which includes salmonella. No product is released for sale until all test results meet our specifications. We post all results on our website at Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc. Screening Tests. Also please review the video on that page that describes our lab and our testing.

Please let me know if you have any further questions. Have a nice day!

Sincerely,


Heather Acuff, B.S.
Animal Nutrition
Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.
heathera@naturalbalanceinc.com
(800) 829-4493

I have always read too many Consumer Complaints about Natural Balance.

Consumer complaints about Natural Balance Pet Foods

You should print off the e-mail Jadabug received and give it to the girl who told that to you.... ;)

I've had people on another forum arguing with me that they don't make the food, I to called them as well as E-mailed them and this is the E-mail I got from them, just like yours:

Hi Tracy,
We appreciate your questions and thank you for contacting us. Natural Balance products are made in our own plant in Southern California as well as select co-manufacturers across the country. This includes Diamond’s South Carolina plant. Diamond has been in contact with us and has told us that Natural Balance products are not involved in their voluntary recall. The dry products you are purchasing in Oregon will be manufactured in California, specifically.

Diamond Pet Foods has placed a hold on their production, because they are implementing a hold and test program as a means to improve their ability to screen for potential contaminants. Natural Balance has been doing this kind of testing since 2007.

Natural Balance’s hold and test program means that once product arrives in our warehouse, we hold the product and test every lot in house for nine contaminants, which includes salmonella. No product is released for sale until all test results meet our specifications. We post all results on our website at Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc. Screening Tests. Also please review the video on that page that describes our lab and our testing.

Please let me know if you have any further questions. Have a nice day!

Sincerely,


Heather Acuff, B.S.
Animal Nutrition
Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.
heathera@naturalbalanceinc.com
(800) 829-4493

Good idea!! Sometimes I think these people care more about a paycheck than a furchild. I had our big furkids on Chicken Soup, ad it comes out of the Diamond Pet Food Company, I dumped it. I went and got TOTW, didn't know Diamond manufactures that as well, needless to say, I dumped it when I found out. I won't feed them anything that comes out of Diamond now. I called Wellness and they said Diamond doesn't make ANY of the small bags, they made all the small bags themselves. The big bags of Wellness that have a "K" or a "D" in the expiration date code on the bag, that means in came out of Diamond. But now I'm sitting here wondering, "would they lie to me just to make a buck?" I've always trusted Wellness, but right now, I'm really worried about my furkids. Has anyone else called Wellness and asked them which brands and sizes of bags comes from Diamond Pet Food company? If I have to switch Maggy, I'm up the crapper, as the first time I went to change her from the Wellness Puppy Formula to the Wellness Adult Formula, she ended up in the ICU at the vets. So I waited a few years and tried again, it took me 4 months to get her safely switched over, I did it veryyyyyy slowly. When I tried the first time, I tried it in a two week time. I don't know that the heck I'd do if I had to take her off Wellness, I'm afraid she'd get so sick again. Somebody call Wellness and ask them what I did, lol. I wanna see if they tell someone else anything different. Any takers? Lol!

Good grief it's getting to the point that there isn't much we can feed our babies.

I just wonder what's a person to do. Mine sensitive have tummy's.

It makes me upset that she would lie, or maybe that's what they tell her to say but if I heard that about the company I work for from customers I would do my research and not lie to customers.
I went out to several pet stores looking for Sheldon's food and noticed how all the NB was on sale at Petco, and other stores where TOTW should be the shelves were empty.

Yeah..... Someone from the Tractor Supply where they sell TOTW said they haven't been able to get any for Weeks!!
I thought that was interesting..... ??

Distributor States Canidae, Natural Balance, and one Wellness Product Recalled
Natural Balance Recall


The Dimond plant in SC had issues back in 2005. *Back then it as a toxic mold outbreak that killed dogs
CDC: Salmonella in dog food sickens 14 people in US; SC plant had toxic mold problem in 2005 | StarTribune.com

From the CDC
CDC - Salmonella Infantis Infections Linked to Dry Dog Food - Salmonella
Salmonella Outbreak Investigations: Reporting Timeline | CDC Salmonella

From life with Dogs website
CDC: Outbreak of Human Salmonella Infections Caused by Dry Dog Food | Life With Dogs[/QUOTE]

hahaha Mika, just posted on the other thread.

I guess I won't be seeing her around huh?

Are you serious????!!!! This is REDICULOUS!!! Mags and Jazzie are on Wellness small breed super 5 mix complete health. How do I know that next week THAT isn't going to be added to the recall list?? I called the company myself when all this started and was told that Diamond didn't make ANY of the smaller bags, ONLY the 30 pound bags, but now in the recall it say 30 and 15 pound bags and 5 ounce samples!! What the heck?? Clearly I was lied to and I no longer trust the company. Now I'm really up the crapper, as last time I switched Mags from the puppy formula to the adult formula, I had to do it over a 4 month period of time, cause when I tried when she was 2 years old, she got very sick and ended up in the ICU with IV's in her. Now having to switch her after I just safely got her switched over to the adult formula and I only have 1/2 a bag of it left, I'm scared to death she's gonna end up in the ICU very sick again cause her system can't handle change very well, that's why we had to go so slow and take 4 months to get her switched to the adult formula small breed complete health. Scared here and don't even know what to do, don't even know what brand to try to switch them to now.