The human diet has evolved a lot throughout history, with food habits changing dramatically over the last century. So, it may not be that surprising that the eating habits of our beloved pets have also shifted considerably in recent years, mirroring the changes that have taken place in modern human society. Given that pet ownership rates have increased tremendously on a global scale, especially in millennial households, and four-legged companions are now considered family members, it also makes sense that people are no longer feeding their pets with scraps from the table and they’re growing more interested in what they put on their plates.
This has led to a rise in the demand for commercial dog food and a growing concern regarding the ingredients that are being used, the nutritional value they provide, and how the food is being processed. Manufacturers and suppliers were quick to respond to this rising demand and provide consumers with an ever-expanding range of food products to cover all their needs. In 2022, the global pet food market was estimated at USD 115.50 billion and is expected to reach USD 163.70 billion by 2029. Looking at the numbers, we can safely say that pet food manufacturing has developed into a highly lucrative industry.
Trends in the pet food industry have a direct impact on animals’ health and well-being as they determine which types of products reach the shelves and influence people’s purchasing decisions. As a pet owner, you probably want to learn as much as possible about the industry’s evolution and what’s happening behind the scenes, so you can make more informed decisions and keep your furry friend healthy and happy. So, here are the main trends that market research specialists have identified and might shape the pet food industry in the years to come. Dr. Marty Pets, the canine and feline brand offering cutting-edge, premium freeze-dried raw dog and cat food and supplements, is pleased to announce the opening of Golden Pet Manufacturing
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Humanization
Humanization is probably the most prominent trend in the pet industry at the moment and the main driver of change in pet food manufacturing. Pet humanization describes the phenomenon in which people start seeing and treating their pets as an integral part of their family. This change in status also prompts a change in the products they consume.
One of the reasons why humanization has become a widespread trend is the growing awareness of the nutritional needs of pets. There are now numerous studies exploring the connections between diet and animal health, and this has made people pay more attention to the foods they purchase for their pets. It’s also worth mentioning that the role of pets has also changed throughout the years. While back in the day dogs and cats were used for pest control or protection, nowadays many of them serve as emotional support companions.
Pets are now more important and valuable to humans than ever before and that makes pet parents focus more on their animals’ health and implicitly on what goes into their food. As a result, pet food is starting to look a lot like human food, both in terms of quality and aspect. Manufacturers are using better ingredients that have higher nutritional value and might also be fit for human consumption, while marketers are using terms like pie, natural ingredients, or homemade to promote pet food products. But all this comes at a cost since humanized pet food tends to be a lot more expensive than generic animal food.
Premiumization
Another notable trend in the animal feed industry is premiumization. Although not all pet owners are interested in serving their pets a human-grade meal and treating them as family members, most still want to make sure that the pet food they purchase meets higher standards of quality. If you visit any pet shop, you’ll notice there’s a wide range of premium products lining the shelves.
Even if these products have a hefty price tag attached to them, people are willing to spend more on their pets’ food because premium brands use higher-quality ingredients that provide better nutritional value for animals. Most premium goods are manufactured using a variety of fresh ingredients and grains, with zero or very small quantities of additives and preservatives. Feeding pets premium products is no longer seen as a special treatment, but as a way to demonstrate you’re a responsible pet owner.
Functional foods
Many pet food brands are expanding their product range with special formulas that cater to the specific health needs of pets that are not limited to basic nutrition. This has led to the emergence of a new niche in pet food manufacturing known as functional foods. These types of products address a wide variety of pet health concerns, such as skin and coat health, weight management, digestive health, allergies, urinary tract health, immune system support, and so on. Apart from a mix of high-quality ingredients, these products also contain additional vitamins, minerals and nutrients to ensure optimum results.
The production of functional pet foods represents a challenge for manufacturers, as they have to integrate new recipes, ingredients, and additions into their manufacturing process and adapt their operations to create quality products while keeping costs low. You can find out more about these challenges and the tech solutions that are currently used to address them at https://www.ksegroup.com/en/.
Raw food
Although the balance tilts toward high-quality ingredients and processed food products, another trend introduces a different approach to pet nutrition – that of raw foods. It’s not uncommon for people to try raw diets, so again this might be just another case of transferring human behaviour to pets. Besides, feeding dogs raw food to dogs is not that uncommon either. But turning this rather isolated diet into a mainstream pet food trend is quite new.
While some pet owners have reported positive results after adopting this type of diet and there’s certainly a lot of enthusiasm around the idea, studies in this area point out there are also drawbacks to take into account. So, for the moment, raw foods remain a controversial topic for humans and pets.