Advance
One of the safest everyday-premium picks in the index — Aussie-made, vet-recommended and with a formula for nearly every dog. The panels are good rather than exceptional and you pay a little for the big-brand reach, but for most households it's a dependable, easy-to-buy choice. Compare it on cost per day against Black Hawk and SavourLife.
An Australian-made super-premium brand that's widely vet-recommended, with deep breed-, size- and condition-specific ranges and excellent availability. The ingredient panels are solid rather than class-leading — grain-inclusive and not as named-meat-dense as the top air-dried feeds — and as a big Mars-owned brand, part of the price is reach and marketing. But as a dependable everyday-premium all-rounder with a formula for almost every dog, it earns its place.
Scored by the PetReviews independent review board
Independent scoring · Updated June 2026 · Not veterinary advice
Overall score · /100
Good
Weighted across six areas
- 0
- Value
- 0
- Ingredients
- 0
- Transparency
- Overall score
- 0/100
- Value score
- 0/100
- Ingredient quality
- 0/100
- Transparency
- 0/100
Our verdict
One of the safest everyday-premium picks in the index — Aussie-made, vet-recommended and with a formula for nearly every dog. The panels are good rather than exceptional and you pay a little for the big-brand reach, but for most households it's a dependable, easy-to-buy choice. Compare it on cost per day against Black Hawk and SavourLife.
How Advance scores
Every brand runs through the same 100-point model. Each area below is weighted by importance — price and ingredients carry the most.
Ownership & transparency
- Ownership
- Mars Petcare (Australian made)
- Country of manufacture
- Australia
- Retailer relationship
- Independent — widely stocked across retailers
Pros & cons
What works
- Australian made and widely vet-recommended
- Deep breed-, size- and life-stage-specific ranges
- Strong everyday value and availability
- Consistent, well-researched formulas
Watch-outs
- Grain-inclusive panels, not the most named-meat-dense
- Ingredient quality sits below the premium leaders
- Part of the price is a big-brand premium
Who it's for
Best for
- Most dogs and most budgets
- Owners who want a vet-recommended Australian all-rounder
- Breed- and size-specific feeding
Look elsewhere if
- You specifically want the highest named-meat content
- You want grain-free across the board
Retailers that stock Advance
Alternatives to Advance
Premium · Good
Fine on a discounted big bag if you choose a named-meat-first recipe, but don't assume the whole range is equal — the cheaper lines pad the panel with grain and rice, and a chunk of the price is reach and marketing rather than ingredients. Compare the specific formula on cost per kg against SavourLife and Ivory Coat.
Premium · Good
Fair value and the rescue donations are real, not greenwash — but the food itself is good rather than exceptional, with mid-premium panels and a narrow range. Buy it because the per-kg value stacks up, not because the cause makes the ingredients better than they are.
Premium · Good
A competent grain-free all-rounder, but it's mid-pack on every measure and now sits inside a big multi-brand portfolio where recipes have moved with ownership. Fine if the price is right on the day — just don't expect it to out-spec a more focused independent brand.
Final verdict on Advance
One of the safest everyday-premium picks in the index — Aussie-made, vet-recommended and with a formula for nearly every dog. The panels are good rather than exceptional and you pay a little for the big-brand reach, but for most households it's a dependable, easy-to-buy choice. Compare it on cost per day against Black Hawk and SavourLife.
Advance FAQs
Advance scores 74/100 overall (Good) on our 100-point model, with a value score of 75/100. One of the safest everyday-premium picks in the index — Aussie-made, vet-recommended and with a formula for nearly every dog. The panels are good rather than exceptional and you pay a little for the big-brand reach, but for most households it's a dependable, easy-to-buy choice. Compare it on cost per day against Black Hawk and SavourLife.
Compare price per kg across retailers before buying — the same bag of Advance can vary noticeably between stores. Prices on this page are a guide and can change.
Worth comparing carefully against Black Hawk, SavourLife, Ivory Coat. Each sits in a similar tier; check cost per day and ingredient quality for your dog's size and needs.
Match the formula and bag size to your dog's life stage and daily serve so you compare cost per day fairly. This is general information, not veterinary advice.