Merrick Pet Care Backcountry Grain Free Hero's Banquet Stew
Wet Chunks · complete
Our verdict
Is Merrick Pet Care Backcountry Grain Free Hero's Banquet Stew a good dog food?
We score it 52/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list chicken, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids beef: the label lists deboned beef
- Your dog avoids turkey: it is listed as an ingredient
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists lamb
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (42)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- supplement 22.5%
- additive 18.9%
- meat 18.8%
- veg 16.0%
- oil 9.8%
- other 9.8%
- carb 4.2%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deboned Beef | Deboned Beef | meat · good | - | 3.1 |
| 2 | Beef Broth | Cooking broth | other · medium | - | 3.1 |
| 3 | Turkey Broth | Cooking broth | other · medium | - | 3.1 |
| 4 | Beef Liver | Beef Liver | meat · good | - | 3.0 |
| 5 | Lamb | Lamb | meat · medium | - | 3.0 |
| 6 | Green Beans | Green Beans | veg · good | - | 3.0 |
| 7 | Carrots | Carrots | veg · good | - | 2.9 |
| 8 | Natural Flavor | Flavor | additive · poor | - | 2.9 |
| 9 | Dried Egg Product | Dried Egg | meat · medium | - | 2.8 |
| 10 | Potato Starch | Potato starch | carb · poor | - | 2.8 |
| 11 | Salt | Salt | additive · poor | - | 2.8 |
| 12 | Guar Gum | Guar gum | additive · medium | - | 2.7 |
| 13 | Fruit Juice Color | Fruit | veg · medium | - | 2.7 |
| 14 | Calcium Carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement · medium | - | 2.7 |
| 15 | Sodium Phosphate | Sodium phosphate | additive · poor | - | 2.6 |
| 16 | Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols) | Fish Oil | oil · good | - | 2.6 |
| 17 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 2.5 |
| 18 | Zinc Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement · good | - | 2.5 |
| 19 | Iron Proteinate | Iron Proteinate | mineral · good | - | 2.5 |
| 20 | Cobalt Proteinate | Cobalt proteinate | supplement · medium | - | 2.4 |
| 21 | Copper Proteinate | Copper proteinate | supplement · good | - | 2.4 |
| 22 | Manganese Proteinate | Manganese proteinate | supplement · good | - | 2.4 |
| 23 | Sodium Selenite | Sodium selenite | supplement · poor | - | 2.3 |
| 24 | Potassium Iodide | Potassium iodide | supplement · good | - | 2.3 |
| 25 | Sunflower Oil | Sunflower oil | oil · good | - | 2.2 |
| 26 | Vitamin E Supplement | Vitamin E | supplement · good | - | 2.2 |
| 27 | Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1) | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement · good | - | 2.2 |
| 28 | Niacin (Vitamin B-3) | Niacin | supplement · good | - | 2.1 |
| 29 | Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5) | Calcium pantothenate | supplement · good | - | 2.1 |
| 30 | Vitamin A Supplement | Vitamin A | supplement · good | - | 2.1 |
| 31 | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6) | Pyridoxine hydrochloride | supplement · good | - | 2.0 |
| 32 | Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2) | Riboflavin | supplement · good | - | 2.0 |
| 33 | Biotin (Vitamin B-7) | Biotin | supplement · good | - | 1.9 |
| 34 | Vitamin B-12 Supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement · good | - | 1.9 |
| 35 | Vitamin D-3 Supplement | Vitamin D3 supplement | supplement · good | - | 1.9 |
| 36 | Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9) | Folic acid | supplement · good | - | 1.8 |
| 37 | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Yucca Schidigera | supplement · good | - | 1.8 |
| 38 | Cinnamon | Cinnamon | veg · good | - | 1.8 |
| 39 | Flaxseed Oil | Linseed oil | oil · good | - | 1.7 |
| 40 | Choline Chloride | Choline | supplement · good | - | 1.7 |
| 41 | Xanthan Gum | Xanthan gum | additive · medium | - | 1.6 |
| 42 | Magnesium Sulfate. | Magnesium sulfate | supplement · good | - | 1.6 |
- 1. Deboned Beef3.1% estimated
- 2. Beef Broth3.1% estimated
- 3. Turkey Broth3.1% estimated
- 4. Beef Liver3.0% estimated
- 5. Lamb3.0% estimated
- 6. Green Beans3.0% estimated
- 7. Carrots2.9% estimated
- 8. Natural Flavor2.9% estimated
- 9. Dried Egg Product2.8% estimated
- 10. Potato Starch2.8% estimated
- 11. Salt2.8% estimated
- 12. Guar Gum2.7% estimated
- 13. Fruit Juice Color2.7% estimated
- 14. Calcium Carbonate2.7% estimated
- 15. Sodium Phosphate2.6% estimated
- 16. Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)2.6% estimated
- 17. Potassium Chloride2.5% estimated
- 18. Zinc Proteinate2.5% estimated
- 19. Iron Proteinate2.5% estimated
- 20. Cobalt Proteinate2.4% estimated
- 21. Copper Proteinate2.4% estimated
- 22. Manganese Proteinate2.4% estimated
- 23. Sodium Selenite2.3% estimated
- 24. Potassium Iodide2.3% estimated
- 25. Sunflower Oil2.2% estimated
- 26. Vitamin E Supplement2.2% estimated
- 27. Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1)2.2% estimated
- 28. Niacin (Vitamin B-3)2.1% estimated
- 29. Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5)2.1% estimated
- 30. Vitamin A Supplement2.1% estimated
- 31. Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6)2.0% estimated
- 32. Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2)2.0% estimated
- 33. Biotin (Vitamin B-7)1.9% estimated
- 34. Vitamin B-12 Supplement1.9% estimated
- 35. Vitamin D-3 Supplement1.9% estimated
- 36. Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9)1.8% estimated
- 37. Yucca Schidigera Extract1.8% estimated
- 38. Cinnamon1.8% estimated
- 39. Flaxseed Oil1.7% estimated
- 40. Choline Chloride1.7% estimated
- 41. Xanthan Gum1.6% estimated
- 42. Magnesium Sulfate.1.6% estimated
Nutrition and feedingProtein 9% · Fat 4%
Declared analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9% |
| Fat | 4% |
| Fibre | 2.50% |
| Moisture | 82% |
Energy: 92 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
Cover and refrigerate unused portions. Shake well before opening.
Feeding guide
For dogs over 100 lbs, add 1/3 can for each additional 10 lbs. Adjust feeding level to your dog's individual needs. If feeding with dry food, reduce wet amount by 6 oz for every 1/2 cup of dry food.
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin E Supplement; Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1); Niacin (Vitamin B-3); Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5); Vitamin A Supplement; Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6); Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2); Biotin (Vitamin B-7); Vitamin B-12 Supplement; Vitamin D-3 Supplement; Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9); Zinc Proteinate; Iron Proteinate; Cobalt Proteinate; Copper Proteinate; Manganese Proteinate; Sodium Selenite; Potassium Iodide
Technological additives
Fruit Juice Color; Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-12
Brand and contact: Merrick Pet Care
- Phone
- 1-800-664-7387
- Address
- Office of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 340, Neenah, WI 54957
- Contact page
- www.merrickpetcare.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-12
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.merrickpetcare.com
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
Trustpilot: 0.0/5 · 0 reviews
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall rating of 52 out of 100. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +4.7 points, while the additives in the recipe added +4.5. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6 and the additive load deducted -5.1.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.73 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 1.7% | -0.115 | -0.20 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.8% | -0.092 | -1.45 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.6% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 27.6% | 0.163 | +4.49 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 33.6% | -0.012 | -0.41 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.8% | -0.375 | -0.30 |
| Recipe graded poor | 16.4% | -0.065 | -1.06 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 4.4% | 0.060 | +0.26 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -22.75 | 0.222 | -5.05 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.73 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 1.7% | -0.115 | -0.20 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.8% | -0.092 | -1.45 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.6% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 27.6% | 0.163 | +4.49 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 33.6% | -0.012 | -0.41 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.8% | -0.375 | -0.30 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 16.4% | -0.065 | -1.06 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 4.4% | 0.060 | +0.26 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -22.75 | 0.222 | -5.05 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.08
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 52.0
- Final score
- 52/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9 | 42.9 (band 19.71428571428571 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 4 | 19 (band 6.023809523809523 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 2.5 | 11.9 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 92 | 438.1 | 100 |
Fibre: Declared as a maximum; the high-fibre taper is not applied.
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 79% from the food type.
Declared fortification: 18 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin E Supplement
- Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1)
- Niacin (Vitamin B-3)
- Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5)
- Vitamin A Supplement
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6)
- Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2)
- Biotin (Vitamin B-7)
- Vitamin B-12 Supplement
- Vitamin D-3 Supplement
- Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9)
- Zinc Proteinate
- Iron Proteinate
- Cobalt Proteinate
- Copper Proteinate
- Manganese Proteinate
- Sodium Selenite
- Potassium Iodide
Low confidence: partial analysis or moisture estimated from the food type.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) | 5/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
100/100 · moderate — 2 checkable claims: 2 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "grain free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "made without grain, wheat, corn, or soy" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
6 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| high protein to maintain lean muscle mass (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| grain free (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| crafted without artificial flavors or preservatives (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| inspired by the ancestral canine diet (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| gluten free (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| natural, with added vitamins and minerals (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| made without grain, wheat, corn, or soy (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Real deboned beef is the first ingredient (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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