Pet owners and industry professionals may not always agree on which aspects of sustainability are most important, but surveys show they still care about it. However, they are often less tolerant of the higher prices that come with increased production costs from practices like good animal welfare and regenerative agriculture.
During Petfood Forum 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., last spring, the topic of sustainability was highlighted with an Ask the Pet Food Pro panel discussion, Making Sustainable Pet Food. A group of industry experts discussed how a pet food company can keep up with consumers’ changing demands related to sustainability.
“Sustainability is one of those significant areas where we have seen a substantial shift,” said Shannon Landry, pet brand manager with Packaged Facts, during the panel discussion. “Younger pet owners tend to be more concerned about using sustainable products. They are much more open to sustainable sources, insect protein, and plant-based pet foods.”
Landry added with the economic uncertainties happening recently, younger pet owners are hit especially hard. Even those who want to live sustainably and purchase sustainable products may find these products out of their budget.
Adam Craig, director of product development at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, said through research his company has done, they’ve noticed a growing interest in sustainability, almost a demand and requirement.
“Pet parents, however, do not want to compromise health for sustainability,” Craig added. “We need to ensure that everything we do reinforces that the nutrition, benefit and efficacy of the product are still there … At the end of the day, we must be careful not to undermine health and well-being for the sake of sustainability.”
Pet parents who care most about sustainability are clear about their priorities, noted Stephie Volo, chief impact officer at Earth Animal,.
“They care about the climate, their animals, and quality nutrition,” said Volo. “They are more vocal than ever. They stay informed about regulations, which will help us in the industry to collaborate and meet those regulations.
“Everyone loves their pets and wants to provide high-quality, nutritious products with minimal social or environmental impact,” she continued. “Through the PSC, we are helping brands work closely with suppliers to adopt holistic practices, ensuring meaningful storytelling about these efforts resonates with their audience and meets expectations.”
Stay tuned to see how sustainability and its impact to the pet food industry will be covered at Petfood Forum 2025.
Petfood Forum and Petfood Essentials show dates are April 28-30, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. To stay informed on the latest event developments, go to PetfoodForumEvents.com.
See sustainability discussions from Petfood Forum’s panel discussion here:
Q&A: Keep up with pet owner sustainability demand changes
Q&A: Starting sustainability from square one in the pet food industry