COVER STOR ▶▶▶Y
What does the pet food market look like in the post-pandemic world?
Pet food trends have substantially changed in the past few years. With increasing pet health concerns and trending pet diets, various types of pet foods such as artificial meat, plant-based food, and dehydrated food have been utilised by the pet food industry.
BY NANDINI ROY CHOUDHURY, CLIENT PARTNER FOOD AND BEVERAGE AT FUTURE MARKET INSIGHTS
The pandemic caused pet hu- manisation to increase signifi- cantly.
T
he popularity of pet foods soared during the pan- demic. Human-pet relationships improved during the pandemic owing to the lockdowns imposed in major parts of the world. This also led to an increase
in the use of pet supplements and nutraceuticals for specific health concerns such as joint pains and iron deficiency. The
American Pet Products Association (APPA) National Pet Own- ers Survey estimated that the dog owners spent an average of US$ 287 on dog food in 2020, while cat owners spent an average of US$ 254 on cat food. These numbers represent an increase of approximately 11% over the last two years. High demand for pet food can also be attributed to an increase in the adoption of a pet and the growing geriatric pet pop- ulation. This article will outline how veganism is playing a pivotal role within new pet food trends, the growing need for pet nutraceuticals, and the desire of pet owners to opt for sustainable foods.
Pet humanisation to play a crucial role in new pet food adoption Many pet owners now consider their pets as family members. The pandemic caused pet humanisation to increase signifi- cantly. In the US, it was observed that almost 95% of pet owners regarded their pets as family members. The most sig- nificant aspects of pet humanisation are keeping the animals safe and meet their nutritional needs appropriately. When it comes to nutritional needs, educated consumers are focusing more on product labelling and ingredients. Product labelling helps them judge whether the product is suitable for their pet or not. Pet owners want to nurture their pets in the same manner as they do their own child. This has led to the adapta- tion of new foods and essentials for pets. The latest foods to catch on are those with fresh ingredients, super foods, and whole grains. Based on a recent survey, pet owners are rela- tively open to discovering new types of pet foods and over half of them find refrigerated and fresh pet food appealing. A similar shift can also be seen towards dehydrated, wet and plant-based pet food. Future Market Insights projects that overall sales of the dehydrated pet food market for dogs will surpass US$ 13.8 billion by the end of 2032. In light of the growing desire to treat pets as family, pet food manufacturers have an opportunity to draw more direct parallels between pets and humans. For instance, in 2021, Nestle Purina re- leased a cookbook, Fancy Feast, based on its latest product line. The cookbook is filled with Fancy Feast-inspired recipes
8 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 30, No. 3, 2022
PHOTO: CANVA
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
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