Label analysisGrade CKibble (Extruded)

FirstMate

FirstMate Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula Small Bites

Editor ingredient insight

FirstMate Chicken Blueberries Small Bites starts with chicken meal, Burbank potato, Norkotah potato, chicken fat, and blueberries in a smaller kibble. At 25% protein, 14% fat, 3,400 kcal/kg, and 0.12% taurine, I would use it for small dogs that tolerate chicken and potato, not chicken-allergy, potato-heavy, or large-breed growth use.

Logic-based verdict

This food suits weight-management priorities better than higher-energy feeding.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Named meal/dehydrated animal protein led

Animal protein

Chicken Meal (#1)

Named dry animal protein gives a relatively clear protein source.

It can be clearer for actual protein contribution than a flashy fresh-meat label.

Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Chicken Meal
Burbank Potato
Norkotah Potato
Meal-basedNo plant booster
Crude protein25%
Crude protein25%
Crude fat14%
Other 61%

Calcium

1.5%

Phosphorus

1%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Typical
query_statsFat position
Typical
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Lower

Calorie density is lower, crude fat does not run high, and protein does not collapse. That makes this easier to keep in a weight-management shortlist.

Nutritional strengths

  • Crude protein does not drop into a clearly low band.
  • A species-named meal keeps protein levels stable through a practical rendered-protein approach.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

What still needs work

  • Phosphorus is 1% on the label, at or above 1%. Senior dogs or dogs with kidney concerns should have phosphorus restriction reviewed with a veterinarian before using it as a staple food.
  • If higher energy density matters more, another option may fit better.
  • The recipe leans on named rendered meal ingredients, so palatability and digestibility can feel weaker than a fresh-meat-led recipe.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

191 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

FirstMate

Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula

All life stages · All sizes

Label score

2.5/5

Grade C

FirstMate

Pacific Ocean Fish Meal Original Formula

All life stages · All sizes

Label score

1.5/5

Grade D

FirstMate

Pacific Ocean Fish Meal Original Formula Small Bites

All life stages · Small breed

Label score

1.5/5

Grade D

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall research scope limited

Founded in 1989 in Canada. The currently searched public sources are not enough to make a confident recall or withdrawal call for this brand.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients are still usable, but this is the part to inspect more carefully before calling the recipe a clear strength.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

C3/6
Ingredient Grade
Mixed
1Chicken Meal
Named Meal · Upper
2Burbank Potato
Starchy Tuber · Mid
3Norkotah Potato
Starchy Tuber · Mid

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Chicken Meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
  • •Burbank Potato is a starchy tuber ingredient. It is not a grain, but it still reads mainly as a starch and energy source. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
  • •Norkotah Potato is a starchy tuber ingredient. It is not a grain, but it still reads mainly as a starch and energy source. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
restaurantIngredient Grade CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

14 ingredients
Chicken MealBurbank PotatoNorkotah PotatoChicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)Whole BlueberriesPotassium ChlorideDL-MethionineCholine ChlorideCalcium Propionate (a preservative)Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Calcium Iodate)Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, D-pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)TaurineRosemary extractYeast Extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Partial disclosure

Core guaranteed analysis is usable, but deeper rows still need a more cautious read.

Safety verification

No fails

No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.

Public data trust (ETF)

C2 tier

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Final word

There is enough here to keep the food in comparison, but not enough to stop comparing yet.

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