A recent study indicates that the pet food market is booming, with both the quality and the packaging evolving to meet consumer demands.
A study release by PMMI Business Intelligence earlier this year stated that the North American pet food market is expected to grow at a rate of 4.5% over the next five years. To give that some perspective, the global pet food market topped $94.6 billion in 2019—with North America leading the way. Major pet food players in the U.S. include Mars Petcare, Nestle Purina, JM Smucker, Hill’s Pet, and Diamond Pet Foods.
The report, outlined on Packaging World’s website, states that many of the same trends driving human food packaging, such as sustainability and e-commerce, are also driving pet food packaging developments. They predict a shift in pet food packaging toward pouches to prevent the deterioration of nutrients through oxidation.
One of the biggest trends driving innovations in pet food packaging is the “humanization” of pet food. The study finds that consumers are looking for the same nutrition and freshness for their pets that they get from their own food items. In addition to driving innovation in packaging, this trend can change pet food processing requirements. Pet food is now being processed more slowly (to preserve textural integrity) and at lower temperatures (to preserve nutritional value). Many manufacturers are also choosing to use more unusual or exotic ingredients in their new pet food recipes.
According to the article, pet food producers and retailers have been included on the list of essential services, so they have continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
Read the article and download a summary of the study “Trends and Drivers Impacting the Pet Food Industry” on Packaging World’s site here.
Are you a pet food manufacturer who is trying to meet these evolving demands? Talk to us at AMGRAPH! We have many packaging solutions available to help you maintain the quality and integrity of your products. We’ve been particularly interested in pouch technology for products like pet food, and we’ve been actively studying and designing those solutions. Let us show you how to efficiently adapt to this growing market!
