Dog food classes: the difference between premium, super premium and holistic (25 foods, 2026)
There is no legal definition of the “premium”, “super premium” and “holistic” classes: these words appear neither in Ukraine's law “On Feed Safety and Hygiene” No. 2264-VIII, nor in EU Regulation 767/2009, nor in the FEDIAF 2019 labelling code. Across 25 adult dog foods from Ukrainian stores, the class on the product listing turned out to be a price tier: the median price of 1000 kcal rises 4.3 times from “economy” to “holistic”, from UAH 30.8 to UAH 131, while protein on a dry matter basis rises only 1.5 times, from 22.2 to 33.0% (our own calculation from store listings as of 01.10.2026).
Key points
- Median price of 1000 kcal: economy UAH 30.8, premium 46.3, super premium 76.1, holistic UAH 131.0.
- “Super premium” costs 64% more than “premium”, yet protein per 1000 kcal is the same: 71.8 and 71.7 g.
- In 67 of 417 pairs of foods, the lower class has more protein on a dry matter basis than the higher one; by price, only 6 such pairs exist.
Who decides that a food is “super premium”?
No regulator decides this. In Ukraine's law No. 2264-VIII the words “premium”, “super premium” and “holistic” occur 0 times, in EU Regulation 767/2009 the words “premium” and “holistic” also occur 0 times, and the law only allows the type of feed to be described as a feed material, a complete feed or a complementary feed (Article 23).
See also: Ukrainian dog food · How much good dog food should cost · Dog food rating
The class on a store listing is a label added by the seller or manufacturer, with no legal definition and no composition thresholds, so it cannot be verified.
The only framework is the ban on misleading claims: the law (Article 22) and Regulation 767/2009 (Article 11.1(b)) prohibit creating the impression “that the feed possesses special characteristics when in fact all similar feeds possess such characteristics”.
WSAVA's 2021 guidelines state that the use of “unregulated terms such as ‘holistic’ or ‘premium’” is “of little practical value for nutritional assessment”.
Which words on the bag have a definition?
The FEDIAF 2019 labelling code defines five descriptors: “natural”, “fresh”, “authentic”, “organic” and “light”, where “light” means at least 15% less energy than the standard food of the same brand. The words “premium” and “holistic” are not there.
There are also thresholds for names that mention an ingredient: “with chicken” requires at least 4% chicken, “chicken dinner” 26% (details in the article on meat vs meat meal).
Dry matter (DM) is the food without its moisture; composition is compared on this basis, because otherwise a food with 10% moisture looks poorer than the same food with 6% moisture.
How does “premium” differ from “super premium” in numbers?
By 64% in price and almost not at all in protein: the median price of 1000 kcal is UAH 76.1 for “super premium” versus UAH 46.3 for “premium”, and protein per 1000 kcal is 71.7 g versus 71.8 g.
| Class on listing | Foods | Price of 1000 kcal, UAH (range) | Month, 30 kg Labrador | Protein in DM | Carbohydrates in DM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 4 | 30.8 (24.5–40.5) | UAH 1,327 | 22.2 % | 59.8 % |
| Premium | 6 | 46.3 (37.4–48.7) | UAH 1,993 | 27.6 % | 45.9 % |
| Super premium | 12 | 76.1 (50.7–99.7) | UAH 3,276 | 28.9 % | 43.8 % |
| Holistic | 3 | 131.0 (101.5–167.5) | UAH 5,644 | 33.0 % | 34.1 % |
Store listings as of 01.10.2026, energy by Atwater factors (NRC 2006); 30 kg Labrador, 1,436 kcal per day according to the daily feeding amount by weight.
Source: medians of 25 adult dog foods, store listings as of 01.10.2026
Take a 30 kg Labrador that needs 1,436 kcal per day: the difference between the median “premium” and “super premium” is UAH 1,283 per month for 1.3 percentage points of protein on a dry matter basis.
Can “economy” be better than “premium”?
On protein, the lower class beats the higher one in 67 of 417 pairs of foods, while on price the lower class is more expensive in only 6 pairs.
The medians do not support the belief that “a higher class means more meat and protein”: from “premium” to “super premium”, protein on a dry matter basis rises from 27.6 to 28.9%, while the price of 1000 kcal rises from UAH 46.3 to UAH 76.1.
With specific foods, the belief falls apart. Carpathian Pet Food “Premium” has 34.4% protein on a dry matter basis, more than any of the 23 “super premium” foods, where the maximum is 33.0% (the listing still needs to be checked against the packaging). Pedigree “Premium” and Chappi “Economy”, from the same manufacturer, Mars, have the same 22.2%.
Hill's Hypoallergenic, listed as “Super premium”, has 21.6%, less than Chappi. Hill's publishes typical average values, and this is a hypoallergenic line based on hydrolyzed protein, where moderate protein is part of the formulation.
Is super premium worth paying extra for?
In four “premium → super premium” pairs from the same manufacturer, the extra cost ranges from 47 to 93%, while protein per 1000 kcal changes from minus 1.3 to plus 3.9 g.
| Manufacturer: “premium” → “super premium” | Price per 1,000 kcal, UAH | Extra cost | Protein, g/1000 kcal | +UAH/month, 20 kg dog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kormotech: Club 4 Paws Premium → Optimeal | 37.4 → 69.3 | +85 % | 68.5 → 69.0 g | +1015 |
| Purina: Dog Chow → Pro Plan | 48.5 → 71.1 | +47 % | 73.2 → 71.9 g | +720 |
| Josera: JosiDog → Josera Adult | 45.1 → 75.0 | +66 % | 70.8 → 74.7 g | +950 |
| Brit: Premium by Nature → Care | 47.5 → 91.5 | +93 % | 72.7 → 71.4 g | +1398 |
Regular prices, largest bag size, 01.10.2026. The Josera Adult composition was taken from the store listing and not verified with the manufacturer.
For the extra cost, an animal ingredient comes first in two pairs out of four, fat on a dry matter basis is higher in three, and ash is lower; protein stays flat, and all eight foods exceed the FEDIAF 2025 minimum of 21 g per 100 g of dry matter.
In a study by Daumas and colleagues (Journal of Nutritional Science, 2014) on 8 foods and 6 beagles, the most expensive super premium food had neither the highest protein nor the highest digestibility; the best digested food was from a basic line.
Does price guarantee composition and safety?
No. In 20 bags of dog food in Durban, aflatoxins above 10 ppb were found in 5 of 10 expensive veterinary foods and in 5 of 10 cheap supermarket foods (Singh and Chuturgoon, 2017). Fungi were present in all 20 bags, although concentrations were lower in the expensive ones.
The only Ukrainian laboratory comparison of classes was done in Dnipro with one sample per class, so it cannot be generalized. In the “super premium” sample, the authors found 13.88% fat instead of the declared 18% and undeclared soy concentrate, and horny skin derivatives turned up in both the “economy” and the “super premium” samples (Bilan et al., 2019).
So what does the class actually show?
The class tracks how the composition is presented: an animal ingredient comes first in 0 of 4 “economy”, 4 of 7 “premium”, 20 of 23 “super premium” and 4 of 4 “holistic” foods, while composition listed by general categories without naming the raw materials is used by 3 of 4 “economy”, 2 of 7 “premium” and none of the higher-class foods (38 foods, 01.10.2026).
The link between price and composition is moderate: the Spearman coefficient between the price of 1000 kcal and protein on a dry matter basis is 0.54, and with ash 0.01.
What to look at on the bag instead of the class?
Instead of the class, look at three lines on the label: energy, protein converted to a dry matter basis, and the names of raw materials at the top of the ingredient list. Energy was stated by only 7 of 23 “super premium” foods and by all 7 “premium” ones.
DELICATE is a dry food for adult dogs from Dnipro; according to the label, poultry meat and by-products come first in the ingredient list (at least 60%), with 32% protein; 397 kcal per 100 g (calculated per NRC 2006). A 10 kg bag costs UAH 1,188 with delivery; for a 30 kg Labrador that is 362 g and about UAH 43 per day, and a bag lasts 27 days. Suitable for adult dogs with normal activity; not suitable for dogs with a poultry allergy or for puppies under 10 months. Full composition on the page for chicken food.
See the food — UAH 1,188
What to do with two bags of different classes?
Compare two bags by three lines on the label and skip the class on the listing.
- If you are choosing between two bags, divide the price of each by its total energy: a 30 kg Labrador needs 1,436 kcal per day, so the price of 1000 kcal × 1.44 gives the daily cost. Without the energy on the bag, the daily cost cannot be calculated.
- If you are comparing protein, convert it to a dry matter basis: subtract the moisture from 100 and divide the protein by the result.
- If you need grams, enter the weight in the portion calculator and divide the daily kilocalories by the energy value of the food: for a 30 kg Labrador at 397 kcal/100 g that is 362 g per day.
- If a Labrador owner picks a “premium” food with the energy on the label and chicken first in the ingredient list, a year of feeding at the class median will cost UAH 23,916 instead of 39,312.
Questions and answers
Is there a difference between premium and super premium?
Big in price, almost none in protein: the median price of 1000 kcal for “super premium” is 64% higher (UAH 76.1 vs 46.3), while protein per 1000 kcal is 71.7 g vs 71.8 g (medians of 25 foods).
What does the word “holistic” mean on dog food?
The word “holistic” is defined neither in Ukraine's law No. 2264-VIII, nor in EU Regulation 767/2009, nor in the FEDIAF 2019 code, and WSAVA (2021) calls “holistic” and “premium” unregulated terms. The Savory brand appears in two classes in the same store: Medium Breed as “Holistic” and All Breed Sterilised as “Super premium”.
Does a more expensive food mean better quality?
Not necessarily. In 20 bags of dog food in Durban, aflatoxins above 10 ppb were found in 5 of 10 expensive veterinary foods and in 5 of 10 cheap supermarket foods, and the authors write that a higher price does not guarantee higher quality (Singh and Chuturgoon, 2017).
How much does a month of feeding a 30 kg dog cost with foods of different classes?
Based on the medians of 25 adult dog foods, “economy” costs UAH 1,327 per month, “premium” UAH 1,993, “super premium” UAH 3,276, and “holistic” UAH 5,644. Requirement of 1,436 kcal per day, 30 days, prices as of 01.10.2026.
Sources
- Law of Ukraine “On Feed Safety and Hygiene” No. 2264-VIII, as amended (latest amendment No. 4718-IX of 16.12.2025). — Full-text search: the words “premium”, “super premium” and “holistic” do not appear even once. Article 23, part 3, item 1: the type of feed on the label is a feed material, a complete feed or a complementary feed. Article 22, part 1, item 2: labelling must not mislead “by creating the impression that the feed possesses special characteristics when in fact all similar feeds possess such characteristics”. Full text at zakon.rada.gov.ua, checked 01.10.2026.
- Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the placing on the market and use of feed. — The words “premium” and “holistic” do not appear in the text. Article 11.1(b): prohibits labelling that suggests special characteristics which in fact all similar feeds possess. Article 13: claims must be objective, verifiable and scientifically substantiated at the request of the competent authority. Text checked 01.10.2026.
- FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice for Pet Food, October 2019. — Section 5.2.4 defines the descriptors “natural” (5.2.4.1), “fresh” (5.2.4.2), “authentic/genuine/real” (5.2.4.3), “organic” (5.2.4.4) and “light” (5.2.4.5: energy at least 15% lower than the standard adult food of the same brand). The words “premium” and “holistic” do not appear in the document. Ingredient name thresholds of 4 / 14 / 26% — Annex 5. FEDIAF Labelling Code 2019
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee. Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods, updated 10.03.2021. — “unregulated terms such as ‘holistic’ or ‘premium’, is of little practical value for nutritional assessment”. WSAVA Selecting a Pet Food
- FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines, September 2025. — Table III-3a: minimum protein for an adult dog is 18 g per 100 g of dry matter at MER 110 and 21 g at MER 95. FEDIAF 2025
- Daumas C, Paragon BM, Thorin C et al. Evaluation of eight commercial dog diets. Journal of Nutritional Science, 2014;3:e63. — 8 foods, 6 beagles; energy digestibility 72.6–87.7%; the most expensive super premium food had neither the highest protein nor the highest digestibility, and the best digested food was from a basic line. Europe PMC
- Singh SD, Chuturgoon AA. A comparative analysis of mycotoxin contamination of supermarket and premium brand pelleted dog food in Durban, South Africa. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 2017;88:e1–e6. — 20 bags (10 premium from the veterinary channel, 10 standard from supermarkets); fungi and mycotoxins in all 20; aflatoxins above 10 ppb in 5 of 10 in each channel; “higher priced dog food does not ensure superior quality”. Europe PMC
- Bilan M.V., Havrylina O.H., Konovyi Ye.R., Martynenko Ye.O., Smirnov D.O. Yakisnyi analiz sukhykh kormiv dlia sobak [Qualitative analysis of dry dog food]. Theoretical and Applied Veterinary Medicine, 2019;7(4):215–222, doi 10.32819/2019.74038 (Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University). — One sample of small-breed food per class (economy, premium, super premium); fat in the super premium sample 13.88% versus the declared 18%; undeclared soy concentrate up to 5%; cereal components up to 65% in premium and 52% in super premium; horny skin derivatives in economy and super premium; all three samples microbiologically safe. The “package versus analysis” discrepancy is given as the authors' conclusion.
- DELICATE in-house dataset, 01.10.2026: 38 competitor foods from Ukrainian stores (34 listings on zootovary.ua, 4 on petchoice.ua), compositions from manufacturer websites and store listings. The class in the tables is the word on the store listing, not the manufacturer's classification. Energy was estimated using modified Atwater factors (NRC 2006); medians, ranges, Spearman coefficients, the shares of “animal ingredient first” and “composition by categories”, and daily and monthly costs for 20 and 30 kg dogs were calculated by script on 01.10.2026. The daily requirement of 1,436 kcal for a 30 kg dog follows the site calculator's method: 1.6 × 70 × kg^0.75. A year of feeding: monthly cost × 12.
- DELICATE in-house product data: 397 kcal per 100 g — metabolisable energy calculated by DELICATE from the label composition (modified Atwater, NRC 2006); composition and the share of poultry meat and by-products of at least 60% — label (2026-09-12); crude protein 32% — product page on the website; price UAH 1,188 per 10 kg with delivery — website. These values have not yet been confirmed by a laboratory analysis of a batch. Calculation for a 30 kg Labrador: 1,436 kcal ÷ 3.97 kcal/g = 362 g per day; 362 g × UAH 0.1188/g = UAH 43.0 per day; 10,000 g ÷ 362 g = 27 days per bag.