Consumers Identify Health and Wellness for Pet Food

The pet food market has witnessed significant growth in new product launches, with about one-third of introductions coming from new companies or brands, surpassing trends in human food. Lynn Dornblaser, Mintel Consulting’s director of innovation and insight, highlighted three major trends shaping the pet food industry over the last five years: personalized products, natural labeling, and sustainability.

More than half of new product introductions have been for dogs and cats, with Europe leading in new launches, followed by Asia Pacific and North America. Clean and simple ingredients are a major consumer preference, driving innovations like Mars Petcare’s Nutro So Simple range. Health and wellness trends, akin to human food preferences, are significant, with DNA testing potentially shaping future tailored pet diets. Mergers and acquisitions are expected to increase as the market continues to innovate, particularly with smaller companies offering unique positioning and formulas.