Black Hawk vs Ivory Coat — an honest NZ comparison of ingredients, pricing, and pros and cons. Find which premium dog food brand suits your dog and budget best.
Last updated
By Jess Aldridge 
Black Hawk and Ivory Coat fight over the same NZ shelf space and a lot of the same customers. Both are Australian-made, both sit in the mid-premium tier between supermarket kibble and the freeze-dried stuff that costs more than your own lunch, and both will feed your dog well.
They are also closer to each other than either brand’s packaging suggests.
Black Hawk is the smarter buy for most dogs. It costs less per day, is stocked in more stores, and for a healthy adult dog on a standard recipe the nutritional outcome is essentially the same as Ivory Coat.
Ivory Coat earns its spot if you need grain-free done properly. Its grain-free range is stronger than Black Hawk’s, the ingredient lists are marginally cleaner on certain formulas, and it offers protein options — turkey, duck — that Black Hawk does not. If your dog has grain sensitivities or needs a novel protein, Ivory Coat is the better call.
No specific needs? Start with Black Hawk and spend the savings elsewhere.
| Black Hawk | Ivory Coat | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Australia | Australia |
| NZ availability | Very wide — Animates, Petstock, PetDirect, independents | Wide — Animates, Petstock, PetDirect, Pet Circle |
| Price range (20kg dog/day) | ~$2.50–$4.00 | ~$3.00–$4.50 |
| Grain-free options | Yes (limited range) | Yes (strong range) |
| Life-stage coverage | Puppy, adult, senior, breed-size specific | Puppy, adult, senior |
| Key protein sources | Chicken, lamb, fish | Chicken, lamb, turkey, duck |
| PawPick rating | 8/10 | 7.5/10 |
Both brands lead with real meat, skip artificial colours and preservatives, and keep their ingredient lists reasonably transparent. That already puts them well clear of most supermarket options.
Simplicity. Black Hawk’s recipes tend to be shorter and more predictable. Chicken, lamb, or fish — whatever you pick, the structure is consistent. If you want to know exactly what’s in the bag, that straightforwardness is genuinely useful.
Grain-free execution. Rather than just swapping wheat for potato starch and slapping “grain-free” on the bag, Ivory Coat uses sweet potato and peas as carbohydrate bases — a better approach than a lot of competitors take.
Novel proteins. Turkey and duck recipes give you rotation options if your dog has started reacting to chicken or lamb. Black Hawk does not offer those.
Functional extras. Several Ivory Coat formulas include probiotics and joint-support compounds. Whether those additions are at meaningful concentrations is hard to verify from the label, but they are there.
For a healthy adult dog with no particular dietary issues, the real-world difference between these two brands is small. The guaranteed analysis numbers — protein, fat, fibre, moisture — land in the same ballpark. If your dog is eating well, holding weight, and producing normal stools, switching brands is unlikely to change anything.
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
This is where Black Hawk separates itself.
| Scenario | Black Hawk (est.) | Ivory Coat (est.) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20kg adult dog, standard recipe | ~$2.50–$3.50/day | ~$3.00–$4.00/day | $0.50–$1.00/day |
| 20kg adult dog, grain-free | ~$3.00–$4.00/day | ~$3.50–$4.50/day | $0.50–$1.00/day |
| Annual difference | ~$180–$365/year |
Prices shift depending on retailer and bag size — bigger bags drop the daily cost on both brands. PetDirect and Pet Circle run regular promotions worth checking before you buy.
That $180–$365 annual gap is real. If both brands produce the same result for your dog — and for most they will — Black Hawk is the more cost-effective choice.
Check price at Pet Direct — Black Hawk →
Both brands cover the full dog lifecycle, but with different depth.
Puppies: Both have dedicated puppy formulas with higher protein and fat ratios for growth. Black Hawk’s puppy range includes size-specific options (small/medium and large breed), which matters — large breed puppies need controlled calcium levels to avoid joint issues. Ivory Coat has fewer size distinctions in its puppy range. See our best puppy food NZ guide for a full breakdown.
Adults: Both brands perform well here. This is where the price comparison is most relevant — there’s no meaningful quality gap for healthy adults.
Seniors: Both offer senior formulas with lower calories and added joint support. Black Hawk’s senior range is more widely stocked. Ivory Coat’s senior options are available but harder to find in store.
Large breeds: Black Hawk has a dedicated large breed adult formula with adjusted calcium:phosphorus ratios. Ivory Coat doesn’t specifically differentiate for large breeds in its adult range.
If you’re moving your dog from one brand to the other, transition gradually over 7–10 days:
A gradual transition reduces the risk of digestive upset — loose stools and gas are common when switching foods too quickly. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, extend the transition to 14 days and consider adding a probiotic supplement during the change.
Online reviews and NZ pet forums (Reddit r/newzealand, local Facebook groups) paint a consistent picture:
Black Hawk owners report solid coat condition, consistent stools, and good energy in their dogs. The most common complaint is the smell — Black Hawk kibble has a stronger odour than Ivory Coat. Some owners in warmer parts of NZ note the kibble goes soft faster after opening.
Ivory Coat owners report similar outcomes — good coats, settled digestion — with particular praise for the grain-free turkey formula from owners whose dogs didn’t thrive on chicken. The price is the consistent grumble.
Neither brand generates a high volume of negative reports from NZ owners. Both are reliable. The “best” brand tends to be whichever one the dog is already doing well on.
Both are easy to find. Black Hawk has slightly deeper distribution.
Black Hawk is on the shelf at virtually every Animates and Petstock, on PetDirect and Pet Circle, and in a large number of independent pet stores. It has been in the NZ market longer and its presence in smaller towns reflects that.
Ivory Coat covers the same major chains and online retailers but is patchier in smaller independent stores. If you shop at a local pet shop outside of Auckland or Wellington, Black Hawk is more likely to be in stock.
For online orders with home delivery, both brands are equally accessible.
Check price at Pet Direct — Ivory Coat →
Both Black Hawk and Ivory Coat make cat food, but this comparison is focused on their dog food ranges. For cat food recommendations, see our best cat food NZ guide.
Both are solid mid-premium kibbles. Neither will let your dog down and neither is trying to reinvent the category. That is fine — reliability is underrated.
If you are choosing between them today:
For the full breakdown of each brand, read our Black Hawk review and Ivory Coat review.
Neither brand is categorically better. Black Hawk tends to offer better value and wider availability. Ivory Coat leans slightly more premium in ingredient positioning. The best pick depends on your dog's specific needs and your budget.
For most dogs, the ingredient difference between the two brands is small enough that the price gap is hard to justify. Ivory Coat may edge ahead on specific recipes — particularly its grain-free range — but Black Hawk delivers very similar nutrition for less money.
Both brands offer recipes suited to sensitive dogs. Black Hawk's lamb and rice formula is a popular go-to for sensitive stomachs. Ivory Coat's grain-free options may suit dogs with grain sensitivities. If your dog has recurring gut issues, talk to your vet before switching brands.
Mostly, yes. Both brands are stocked at Animates, Petstock, PetDirect, and Pet Circle. Black Hawk tends to have slightly wider shelf presence in smaller independent stores.
You can, but there is no nutritional reason to. Both are complete diets. If you are transitioning between them, mix gradually over 7 to 10 days to avoid upsetting your dog's stomach.
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