What’s new for pet food? Engage both owners and beloved animals with a catchy pet food packaging and make your pet food brand a hit.

The global pet food market is still expanding, it is expected to grow with more than 4% in the next few years. This creates the perfect environment for new pet food startups to come with innovative products for our furry friends. The target is to engage the owners using the pet food packaging design and the lovely creatures through the delicious taste.

There are a few pet food product types on the market right now:

Dry Food
Soft-moist Food
Canned Food
Raw Meat–based Diets
Home-cooked Diets

How pet food is made?

Dry pet foods are made by blending dry and wet ingredients together to create a dough. During the extrusion process, the dough is heated under pressure, then pressed through a die machine that cuts the kibbles while they are expanded due to the pressure change. Wet food is not extruded, but rather poured into containers which are then vacuum secured. Depending on the type of pet food you would like your business to produce, you will need to purchase a different equipement.

Pet food vs human food

Humans have different nutritional needs than dogs or cats or other pets. For example, a dog's digestive system is different from a human's and normal human food is much too rich and fatty for a dog to properly digest. So, when you create the recipes for your pet food brand keep in mind your target audience, what type of animals will serve the meals and if they have special health problems.

Pet food stores

The first pet stores mostly catered to birds, in the 1840s. Entrepreneur James Spratt introduced the first commercially prepared pet food in England around 1860. In 1922 the Chappel Brothers of Rockford, Illinois, created Ken-L-Ration, the first canned dog food, in the United States. If you plan to also open a pet food store, try to create a certain mood that will tell the story of your pet dedicated business.

Also decide if you want to focus on cats and dogs or cater to other type of animals as well, if you want to showcase products coming from big brands or you would like to discover more special, small brands and help them launch their unique, healthy products.

Pet food trends

Some of the latest pet food industry trends are moving toward a sustainable approach and moral sourced raw ingredients, clean, modern, clear labeling and the finding the best recipes for toward plant-based dishes. Also, we are witnessing an increased consumer awareness regarding the beneficial impact on pet health. Pet food producers add nutrient-dense super foods to the pet food mix, we can expect to see kale, chia, kelp, broccoli, apples listed as ingredients.

Organic pet food trends

When you buy organic food for your pet, their life expectancy and quality of life seriously improve. Organic food contains natural ingredients and does not use harmful chemicals, and pesticides. This can be a big advantage for your pet business, get specialized in healthy products and you will see an increase in sells.

Fresh pet food trends

Premium, fresh pet foods are moving into the mainstream as owners seem more concerned about their pet's diet. Innovations by pet food manufacturers are positively influencing the market. Lots of pet food startups bring cool, new ideas to the table. Be a game changer, propose healthy combinations.

Pet product trends

Pet owners are spending more on products that concentrate on their pets' health in a comprehensive or pampering way. Some of the top items demanded are beds, fountains, vitamins, feeder bowls, cosmetics, toys. Pet food and treats make up 40.5% of all pet product spending. The pet industry is one of the most lucrative industries in the worldwide. So, invest in producing quality type of products and extend your pet food business.

Pet food branding to help your business get noticed.

Our branding studio can create a successful visual identity, strategy, logo or packaging design for your pet food brand.
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Pet wellness trends

The success of the wellness industry has resulted in pet care brands taking inspiration from it with products that could benefit pets' overall wellbeing, from supplements to massage lotions and bath products.

How to become a popular pet food brand?

A few ideas to make your pet food brand known and attract new customers would be:

Produce high quality product at reasonable prices
Diversify your products, try new types of meat, vegetables, fruits, etc.
Organize pet events where pet owners can meet
Attend expo and seminar with your brand
Strengthen online presence, focus on social media

It is important to have a clear message and a straightforward pet food branding strategy. Hire a brand designer to help you find a good direction and identity, this will pay off later. A memorable pet food brand logo will help your customers remember your wonderful products.

Pet food packaging

Pet food packaging can be made from many types of films, depending on your custom requirements. Packaging has a crucial role in the pet food industry, in particular for the premium brands. The main features are to keep products fresh, long-lasting, and avoid any contamination. Most pet food bags are lined with paper or plastic, depending on the material they can be recycled or not.

Pouches devised with reseal technology maintain natural pet food at peak freshness. Regarding materials, PVC is cheaper then PET, however PET is environmentally friendly, being 100% recyclable.

Pet food packaging, being unique in a busy market.

The pet food packaging explores a captivating approach that emphasizes brand's qualities.
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Pet food packaging trends

Follow these pet food packaging trends and keep your business ahead of competitors:

Focus on keeping the precious product fresh
Use a transparent window so customers can realize how big / small are the kibbles or biscuits
Choose package to lessen your environmental impact
Opt for high-impact design and straigh-forward pet food branding
Select fully branded, custom pouches that match your brand’s image
Health benefits are the priority for pet owners, so go for natural ingredients
Utilize ecommerce power, pet owners turn to online shops for a bigger product selection, convenience and price
Clean and catchy label design trends echo those spotted in human food innovation

Pet food names

Your pet food name should be catchy, funny, and easy to remember. Being in tune with your brand’s story means it can be a great ambassador for your business. If you have a cute mascot as inspiration, it is even better. Keywords in a pet food name can give owners clues to how much meat they can expect.

Pet food container

Recyclability is the sustainable packaging attribute consumers care most about, so take this into account when you order pet food storage containers for your local store. Innovations like digitalized packaging provide an instant connection with pet owners. We can now scan a QR code and discover information about food’s origin, nutritional value, and its journey to the retailer. More than 40% of pet owners now buy premium pet food for their cat or dog so go for a more luxurious way of looking. Also pet food producers are adopting packaging formats used in the snack industry.

Sustainable pet food packaging

Are pet food bags recyclable? It depends on the materials, if you would strive for a modern brand, go for sustainable pet food containers. To show that the dry pet food bag is recyclable, don’t forget to include the specific codes on the label.

Pet food delivery

There are many shops that offer pet food delivery and that is very good because one of the trends these years is convenience. There are even food apps that offers exceptional discounts for pet food deliveries. Join this movement and create dog / cat food subscriptions on your website.

Pet food marketing strategies

The pet food advertising can help you promote your great products. These are a few ideas to try:

Host a fashion show to promote your pet store
Use catchy pet pics on your brand Instagram account
Choose a pet of the month and create a custom calendar
Ensure your blogs always offer something to the reader

A pet food online has the advantage to be open at any hour for the owners. Therefore, they will have the possibility to really analyze the products, ingredients and make the best choice for they beloved pets. You can use organic (free) links or paid ads to expose your website to a larger audience.

What pet food issue do pet food brands try to solve nowadays?

The goal is complete and balanced nutrition, this means having all essential nutrients consumed in the proper quantity each day. Also offering preventive care and wellness products is an important focus today. Finding a good ratio between high-quality ingredients and cost efficiency is also a concern that food manufacturers try to address these days by finding new innovative techniques.

"The dog is a gentleman; I am not." Mark Twain, American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer.