Grasp these trends to drive plant-based dog-food sales

• Manufacturers must ensure that dog-food products contain good amounts of high-quality plant-based proteins to generate interest from dog owners to whom this trend is important (taking into account nutritional regulations). 

• Product packaging and marketing campaigns should also feature key words and phrases like ‘added protein’ and ‘high in protein’.

Humanisation and premiumisation 

These two trends go hand in hand, since premiumisation in the dog-food industry has undoubtedly come as a result of changing societal attitudes towards animals, leading to their humanisation. 

Certainly, the increasing humanisation of pets is leading people to consider the health and happiness of their dogs in line with their own well-being. This is causing more dog owners to search for premium pet-foods with high-quality proteins and ingredients akin to those in human food.

“Studies have shown that younger generations consider dogs to be more like family members than pets. We believe this will continue to drive demand for higher-quality products with clean ingredient labels. Over the last decade or so, this trend has translated to increased demand for fresh and frozen meat-based dog food that uses ‘human-grade’ animal protein.”

Caroline Buck, Co-Founder of Petaluma

Imitations of premium human foods are also being seen in the industry, with manufacturers working to emulate the appearance, ingredients, aroma, and product names of human-food products. 

In 2021, Lily’s Kitchen launched its first-ever range of plant-based dog foods. These included dog-food products with human-food names, as well as high-quality ingredients that are frequently found in premium human foods.

The range included: Mighty Burrito Bowl (wet food containing jackfruit, red pepper, and kidney beans), Vibrant Rainbow Stew (wet food containing courgettes, carrots, and lentils), and Tropical Mango Jerky (dog treats based on fruit).

• Product developers and manufacturers should focus on high-quality human-grade ingredients that are recognisable to pet owners. 

• Brands and marketers should make sure that marketing campaigns, packaging, and product names and descriptions showcase the premium nature of their products and give a nod to human foods. 

Sustainable recipes

In every segment of consumer goods, the sustainability trend is altering consumer purchasing preferences and habits – dog food is no exception. 

In a recent Euromonitor study, pet owners reported higher rates of environmentally conscious behaviours, such as reduced plastic use, meat consumption, and food waste, and increased purchases of sustainably produced items and packaging.^[13]5 trends shaping the global pet food industry in 2022, (2022(. Pet Food Industry. Available at: https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/11368-5-trends-shape-the-global-pet-food-industry-in-2022. … Continue reading

“Increased awareness of America’s problematic food system will drive demand for products that can demonstrate they are better. You don’t need to be a scientist to understand the link between climate change and food production.”

Caroline Buck, Co-Founder of Petaluma

• Focus on recipes that contain sustainable ingredients, sourced in an environmentally responsible way. 

• Manufacturing methods must also have minimal environmental effects – make sure all processes and equipment adhere to sustainability practices.

It’s already common practice for traditional pet-food manufacturers to use by-products from the human food chain, with meat by-products being a prime example of preventing loss or waste from the human food chain.^[14]How to add value to the pet food industry, (2022). Appetizer Blog. Available at: https://www.appetizerblog.com/en/how-to-add-value-to-pet-food-upcycling/. Accessed 2022-09-06. We will start to see more of this with plant-based ingredients, with more dog foods ‘upcycling’ spent or leftover ingredients, and using ingredients that are deemed ‘not good enough’ for human consumption, i.e. ‘wonky’ fruit and vegetables.

A recent trial by Purina explored the possibility of using surplus and unwanted plant-based ingredients in its dog foods. In March 2021, the Nestlé-owned brand ran a six-week trial of ‘upcycled dog treats’ in the Netherlands. The treats were made using surplus grains from breweries in Purina’s LiveLab innovation unit. According to a spokesperson from Nestlé, the trial was a ‘success’. 

• As more consumers latch on to the sustainability trend, more pet owners will demand foods for their dogs that do better for the planet. Since plant-based pet-food brands are already expected to be value- and planet-driven, they should take this further by ensuring that they make use of leftover or unwanted human food ingredients, as standard practice.

• When it comes to naming dog-food products that contain upcycled or leftover ingredients, ‘upcycled’ was observed as consumers’ most-preferred label for describing value-added surplus products, followed by ‘reprocessed’.^[15]How to add value to the pet food industry, (2022). Appetizer Blog. Available at: https://www.appetizerblog.com/en/how-to-add-value-to-pet-food-upcycling/. Accessed 2022-09-06. If you want to take advantage of this microtrend, be sure to use consumers’ most-favoured label. 

Key insights

Taking into account the various trends affecting the pet-food industry, ProVeg International recommends that plant-based dog-food businesses:

• Design products that can be fed to dogs as part of a healthy and convenient flexitarian diet. Target flexitarian dog owners and highlight the hybrid feeding trend on your marketing materials and product packaging.
• Prioritise creating plant-based dog foods that contain healthy, natural, and functional plant-based ingredients and superfoods. Highlight key healthy ingredients on product packaging and in marketing materials. 
• Include high amounts of high-quality plant-based proteins in your dog-food products. Product packaging and marketing campaigns should also feature key words and phrases like ‘added protein’ and ‘high in protein’.
• Use high-quality human-grade, ‘premium’ ingredients that are recognisable to pet parents, and make sure that marketing campaigns, packaging, and product names and descriptions showcase the premium nature of your products and give a nod to human foods. 
• Focus on recipes that contain sustainable ingredients, sourced in an environmentally responsible way. 
• Ensure that manufacturing methods are sustainable and have minimal environmental impacts – all processes and equipment should adhere to sustainability best-practices.
• Utilise unwanted or leftover human food ingredients to strengthen your plant-based pet food’s sustainability claims. If doing so, be sure to use pet owners’ favoured labels – ‘upcycled’ and ‘reprocessed’. 

For more help with producing plant-based dog-food, read our whitepaper on the topic. You can also get in touch with ProVeg at [email protected] for advice on product development and strategy.