The connection between human food trends and pet food trends has been known to the pet food industry for years now. As pet food purchasers strive to provide their pets with the best food options available, the more specific health trends are gaining prominence and finding their way into specialty pet food formulations by way of so-called superfood ingredients.
“The connection between human and pet has certainly grown exponentially over the last couple of years, with the general public wanting to treat and feed their animals the most highly nutritious foods that they possibly can,” said Lawrence Blitz, president of Green Source Organics. “I know there are a few brands out there that make the claim of human-quality food for pets, and others just try to find the highest-quality ingredients or ingredients that may have added health benefits. I think that really speaks to the bleed over from human to pet and what’s causing it. I think also that the perception that what’s good for us is also good for our pets, whether it be scientifically substantiated or not, plays a role.”
Trending: superfoods
Superfood ingredients, which usually come with at least one specific health benefit claim, can be found across the spectrum of foodstuffs — everything from pulses to fruits and vegetables to aquatic ingredients have options for pet food manufacturers to pull from.
Weight management is a significant pull for specialty pet food buyers, but there are other health and nutrition benefits consumers look for, as well, which means diversifying superfood options to suit a number of potential market needs. “With pet food mirroring human food so closely, we are seeing a need regarding all of the current dietary concerns,” said Casey Koehnlein, general manager for Marshal Ingredients. “Health benefits for sure. Yes, natural/organic, gluten free, particular formulations for stages of life, common ailments and activity levels. The wonderful thing is that superfoods address all of these concerns, and there is a superfood ingredient for each individual’s needs. Blueberry, apple, cranberry, tart cherry — all have specific attributes that perfectly address one or more of a pet owner’s concerns for their animal.”
Even aquatic ingredients are getting in on the trend. “In addition to the continued (and increasing) use of high-quality sweet potatoes and other grain-free options like chickpeas and lentils, we are seeing more and more diets containing aquatic mineral sources such as kelp, as well as aquatic proteins and oils with high levels of omega-3s,” said Lane Lott, business development and sales manager at Lortscher Agri Service Inc.
The future of superfoods in pet food formulations
With so many potential uses for superfood ingredients, the pet food industry is settling in for the long haul. “For now, the trend looks to be very stable and sustainable for several years to come,” said Lott. “As pet ownership expands with millennials, they are more ‘health’ conscious, it seems, as it pertains to their ‘children’ and tend to feel that if it is good for them then it must be good for their pets. The growth in this segment seems to also be getting a strong push due to companies looking more and more for ‘novel’ ingredients and other ingredients to bring to the deck as our sources of commonplace ingredients from the past become more and more limited. Without a doubt, the trend is spilling over into other pet food segments as ingredients like freeze-dried meats, fruits and vegetables become more readily available.”
