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

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

Plant-based dog-food is a growing industry

The pet-food industry has reached great heights in recent years, amassing an estimated worth of over US$91.1 billion.1 This is expected to boom to even greater amounts in the years ahead, with a large part of this growth due to innovation coming from the rising demand for plant-based pet-foods – especially those for dogs. 

Though still a niche industry, with vegan and plant-based claims seen on just 2.1% of dog-food products worldwide, it’s finding more shelf space compared to five years ago, when only 0.7% of dog food had a plant-based claim, according to Innova Market Insights. And these plant-based claims are growing rapidly in dog-food (+40%) compared to the growth of all new dog-food launches (+5%) (Global, compound annual growth rate, 2018–2022).2

In order to be successful in the plant-based dog-food space, it’s important to understand the most prominent trends in dog food that are fuelling the plant-based segment of the industry.

Hybrid feeding/flexitarianism

plant-based dog-food
Source: Unsplash/Ayla Verschueren

The inevitability of human food trends encroaching into the pet-food space is well documented, and flexitarianism or hybrid diets seem to be no exception.

As we see more people sharing their lives with canine friends and more people adopting flexitarian eating habits (30% of European consumers identify as flexitarian3), we will start to see more pet parents extending the hybrid-eating trend to the diets of their dogs.4

Excitingly, a 2021 study found that 72% of US pet parents were open to having plant-based protein sources in their animals’ diets.5 The study participants also indicated a high interest in hybrid diets, balancing animal and plant-based protein sources; lending further credence to the notion that flexitarianism will be a leading trend in dog-food.

We’re already seeing evidence of this in action, with multiple plant-based pet-food brands reporting that the majority of their customers feed their plant-based pet foods to their dogs as a component of their diets.

“Many of our customers are making small changes [to their pets’ diets], such as one veggie day, or changing to vegan snacks – the flexitarian approach.”

Valerie Henssen, CEO and Co-Founder of VEGDOG

Innova’s Nutrition & Health Survey 2020 shows that the top reasons driving consumers to switch to flexitarian eating habits include health, sustainability, and taste – all things dog parents are increasingly demanding for their pets, too. 

“I predict that, as long as the [flexitarian] trend is growing in the human world, we’ll likely see similar growth in the pet-food industry.”6

Dr Sarah Dodd, animal nutrition expert

  • Designing products that can be fed to dogs as part of a healthy and convenient flexitarian diet, and targeting flexitarian dog parents, is vital to maximising sales of plant-based dog food. 

Health and wellness

plant-based dog-food
Source: Unsplash/CDC

Pet health and wellness have long been important to dog parents, and more so now than ever, with these being the leading trends in the entire pet-food space – plant-based and animal-based.

“As more consumers make the connection between a good diet and improved health for themselves, they are now taking extra care to choose the right foods for their beloved pets to increase their overall well-being and health.”7

Karel Thurman, Commercial Director for Beneo Animal Nutrition

Many people with dogs are actively switching to more plant-based foods to improve the health of their pets. However, some pet parents are wary of plant-based foods, with misconceptions that assume that plant-based diets ‘lack’ vital nutrients. These customers will be even more focused on health, and will require the reassurance of nutrition. 

“The most important thing for consumers is their dog’s health; even more than meat-based brands, vegan companies need to prove the quality of their product.”

Valerie Henssen, CEO and Co-Founder of VEGDOG

Innova’s Pet Owners Survey 2023 found that, when it comes to pet foods, more than half of pet owners are interested in innovations that will result in functional health benefits (51%), with 36% of pet owners interested in natural and organic innovations in pet foods.

  • additional supplements 
  • minimal processing
  • natural ‘feel’ (‘natural’ was the second-most frequent claim in online pet-food claims in a Euromonitor study8)
  • organic ingredients (in 2020 alone, organic pet food reached US$22.8 billion in sales9)
  • immune-system health
  • added antioxidants
  • focus on freshness 

In light of this, we are increasingly seeing more manufacturers adding nutrient-dense superfoods to plant-based dog-foods – you will start to see more wholefood ingredients like kale, chia, beetroot, apples, broccoli, and pumpkin added to ingredient lists. 

According to Nature’s Best, dog-food nutrition will start to take on a more holistic role too, especially in dealing with the changes associated with ageing. Manufacturers will introduce dog-food variants to manage different aspects of pet health, catering to anti-inflammatory, cognitive, digestive, and skin-nutrition requirements.10

  • To take advantage of health-and-wellness trends, manufacturers must use healthy, natural, and functional plant-based ingredients to attract the health-motivated pet carer. 
  • The addition of recognisable nutrient-dense superfoods will help in achieving this.

Added/high-protein

Source: Unsplash/ Jamie Street

Linked to the health-and-wellness trend, is the ‘added protein’ or ‘high-protein’ trend.

“One clear consumer trend that crosses over to the pet food category is the increasing demand for added protein. ‘Added protein’ is a claim that makes pet food seem healthier to four in five pet owners (according to company consumer research).”11

Karel Thurman, Commercial Director for Beneo Animal Nutrition

In a recent survey by Euromonitor, which reviewed the top health-related claims by pet-food brands, ‘high protein’ was the most common, appearing in nearly 12% of claims available online. 12

  • 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 

Source: Unsplash/Delaney Dawson

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

Source: Markus Spiske

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

“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 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 If you want to take advantage of this microtrend, be sure to use consumers’ most-favoured label. 

Key insights

Source: Unsplash/Helena Lopes

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.

References

  1. Pet Industry Trends, (2022). Common Thread Co. Available at: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/pet-industry-trends-growth-ecommerce-marketing. Accessed 2023-01-06.
  2. Research sent to ProVeg International by Innova Market Insights, (2023).
  3. ProVeg International (2020): European consumer survey on plant-based foods. Available at: https://proveg.com/what-we-do/corporate-engagement/proveg-consumer-survey-report-download. Accessed 2021-10-08.
  4. Plant based pet food trend is picing up speed, (2021). Pet Food Industry. Available at: https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/10097-plant-based-pet-food-is-a-trend-picking-up-speed?v=preview. Accessed 2023-01-05.
  5.  Plant based pet food trend is picing up speed, (2021). Pet Food Industry. Available at: https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/10097-plant-based-pet-food-is-a-trend-picking-up-speed?v=preview. Accessed 2023-01-05.
  6.  Plant based pet food trend is picking up speed, (2021). Pet Food Industry. Available at: https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/10097-plant-based-pet-food-is-a-trend-picking-up-speed?v=preview. Accessed 2023-01-05.
  7.  Plant based pet food trend is picking up speed, (2021). Pet Food Industry. Available at: https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/10097-plant-based-pet-food-is-a-trend-picking-up-speed?v=preview. Accessed 2023-01-05.
  8. 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. Accessed 2023-02-20.
  9. 2022 pet food industry trends, (2022). Clarkston Consulting. Available at: https://clarkstonconsulting.com/insights/2022-pet-food-industry-trends. Accessed 2022-02-20.
  10. The future of pet food: trends to watch, (2022). Nature’s Best. Available at: https://www.naturesbest.co.uk/our-blog/the-future-of-pet-food-trends-to-watch/. Accessed 2022-02-20.
  11.  Plant based pet food trend is picking up speed, (2021). Pet Food Industry. Available at: https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/10097-plant-based-pet-food-is-a-trend-picking-up-speed?v=preview. Accessed 2023-01-05.
  12.  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. Accessed 2023-02-20.
  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. Accessed 2023-02-20.
  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.
  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.

Last updated: