Pet Food Ingredients Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Source (Animal Derivatives, Plant Derivatives & Additives), By Type (Dog, Cat, Bird, Fish & Others), By Form (Dry Pet Food, Wet Pet Food), By Region, By Competition Forecast & Opportunities 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 65.55 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	5.54%
Fastest Growing Segment	Wet Pet Food
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 90.59 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Pet Food Ingredients Market will grow from USD 65.55 Billion in 2025 to USD 90.59 Billion by 2031 at a 5.54% CAGR. Pet food ingredients encompass the diverse array of raw materials, including animal proteins, grains, vegetables, and specialized additives, utilized to formulate balanced nutritional products for companion animals. The market’s expansion is primarily driven by the global phenomenon of pet humanization, where owners increasingly view animals as family members, necessitating higher quality and safety standards in their diets. Furthermore, the rising focus on animal health and wellness propels the demand for premium, functional components that offer specific physiological benefits, distinguishing these fundamental drivers from transient flavor or packaging trends.

However, the industry faces a significant challenge regarding the volatility of raw material prices and supply chain instability, which can disrupt production consistency and erode profit margins. This reliance on agricultural inputs is substantial and highlights the sector's economic exposure to fluctuations in farming output. According to the Pet Food Institute, in 2024, pet food manufacturers in the United States purchased $13.2 billion in farm products to be used as ingredients, underscoring the immense scale of agricultural resources required to sustain market operations.

Key Market Drivers

The accelerating trend of pet humanization is fundamentally reshaping the Global Pet Food Ingredients Market, as pet owners increasingly prioritize the nutritional quality and sourcing of their companions' diets. This shift has elevated the demand for premium, human-grade ingredients, pushing manufacturers to reformulate products with superior protein sources and specialized additives that mirror human wellness trends. The market is witnessing a distinct transition from basic caloric sustenance to functional nutrition, where ingredients are selected for their specific health benefits, such as digestive support and longevity. This premiumization directly correlates with substantial market value growth; according to Petfood Industry, March 2025, in the 'US pet food sales hit US$65.8 billion in 2024' report, retail sales of pet foods and treats in the United States reached $65.8 billion in 2024, reflecting the willingness of owners to invest heavily in high-quality nutritional solutions.

Simultaneously, the emergence of sustainable and alternative protein sources is exerting a profound influence on ingredient innovation and supply chain strategies. As environmental concerns become central to purchasing decisions, there is a growing consumer preference for ingredients that offer a reduced ecological footprint without compromising nutritional efficacy. This demand is driving the adoption of novel ingredients such as insect protein, plant-based derivatives, and fermentation-based additives. According to DSM-Firmenich, June 2025, in the 'Sustainable omega-3s: The future of pet health' article, 73% of consumers indicated they were more likely to buy a brand that uses algal omega-3s, highlighting the commercial viability of eco-friendly alternatives. Validating the scale of this regional industry, according to FEDIAF European Pet Food Industry Federation, June 2025, annual sales of pet food products in Europe reached 29.2 billion euros, underscoring the massive economic ecosystem relying on these evolving ingredient streams.

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Key Market Challenges

The volatility of raw material prices and supply chain instability constitutes a critical barrier to the growth of the global pet food ingredients market. Since the industry is deeply integrated with the agricultural sector, it remains highly vulnerable to unpredictable external factors such as adverse weather patterns, geopolitical tensions, and fluctuating crop yields. These variables cause sudden spikes in the cost of essential commodities like grains and animal proteins, which directly erode manufacturer profit margins. Consequently, companies often face financial constraints that impede their ability to invest in capacity expansion or market development, as they struggle to absorb costs that cannot be immediately passed on to price-sensitive consumers.

The impact of this instability is magnified by the intricate requirements of modern nutritional formulations. Manufacturers must coordinate a vast and reliable flow of diverse inputs to maintain product standards, meaning that a disruption in sourcing even a single component can stall production. According to the Pet Food Institute, in 2024, the industry produced 9.8 million tons of pet food utilizing over 600 distinct plant- and animal-based ingredients. This heavy reliance on a complex, multifaceted supply network ensures that any logistical failure or ingredient scarcity directly hampers market consistency and availability.

Key Market Trends

The Utilization of Certified Upcycled Food Ingredients is rapidly mainstreaming as manufacturers actively decouple growth from agricultural strain by integrating the circular economy. This trend focuses on valorizing nutrient-dense byproducts—such as vegetable pomace and surplus organ meats—that would otherwise be discarded, transforming them into premium, eco-friendly components. Unlike general sustainability initiatives that seek alternative raw materials, this approach offers a quantifiable reduction in food waste while creating a new value stream for supply chains. Validating the industrial scale of this movement, according to The Packer, January 2025, in the 'Upcycled Certified products rise 17% year over year' article, 105 companies were certified to the Upcycled Certified standard in 2024, collectively diverting approximately 1.2 million tons of food waste from landfills.

Simultaneously, the Adoption of Postbiotics and Microbiome-Targeted Solutions represents a technical evolution beyond standard digestive health, addressing the processing stability challenges of traditional probiotics. Manufacturers are increasingly utilizing inanimate microorganisms, or postbiotics, which retain efficacy under high-heat extrusion and extended shelf life, to modulate the gut-immune axis for holistic wellness benefits including anxiety reduction and immunity. This sophisticated formulation strategy is driven by high consumer awareness of gut health; according to NutraIngredients, February 2025, in the 'ADM positions itself as a leader in pet postbiotics' article, 71% of U.S. pet owners have purchased prebiotics, probiotics, or postbiotics for their pet at least once, highlighting the widespread acceptance of these advanced microbiome-centric ingredients.

Segmental Insights

The wet pet food segment currently represents the fastest-growing category within the global pet food ingredients market, driven by a pronounced shift toward premium nutrition and animal hydration. This expansion is primarily attributed to increasing consumer awareness regarding the health benefits of high-moisture diets, which improve digestibility and support urinary tract health. Furthermore, pet owners are prioritizing highly palatable options that adhere to rigorous nutritional profiles, such as those outlined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. This demand for superior formulations has consequently accelerated the requirement for high-quality proteins and specialized hydrocolloids essential for wet product textures.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific holds the leading position in the Global Pet Food Ingredients Market, primarily driven by rising pet ownership rates and swift economic development. Key markets like China and India bolster this dominance, as rapid urbanization and increased disposable incomes accelerate the consumer shift from traditional feeding to commercial pet nutrition. Furthermore, the growing trend of pet humanization compels owners to prioritize premium, natural, and functional ingredients for their companions. This robust consumption pattern ensures the region remains the central hub for industry expansion, surpassing other territories in overall market share.

Recent Developments

• In September 2025, Beneo released technical trial results demonstrating that its faba bean protein concentrate could effectively replace animal blood plasma in wet pet food formulations. The research indicated that this plant-based ingredient served as a functional alternative, maintaining the necessary binding and texturizing properties in meat-based products while offering an improved cost structure for producers. The study highlighted that the concentrate achieved high digestibility and palatability without compromising the structural integrity of the final pet food product. This development provided manufacturers with a scalable solution to reduce reliance on animal-derived texturizers and cater to the increasing demand for sustainable ingredient options.
• In April 2025, IFF expanded its specialized portfolio for the pet nutrition market with the launch of two new functional ingredients, Betafin Pet and Microsource CA. Betafin Pet was introduced as a natural betaine source developed to support hydration and gut health in both cats and dogs, addressing the rising consumer focus on animal wellness. Concurrently, the company released Microsource CA, a microbiome-enhancing ingredient specifically formulated for cats to improve litter management by significantly reducing fecal ammonia odors. These launches underscored the company's commitment to utilizing bioscience capabilities to provide functional, data-backed ingredients that help manufacturers differentiate their premium pet food products.
• In May 2024, BioCraft Pet Nutrition announced a significant research breakthrough regarding its cultivated meat ingredients for the pet food sector. The company reported that its cultivated mouse meat had achieved price parity with premium conventional meat sources, reaching a commercial cost of approximately $2.00 to $2.50 per pound. This milestone was accomplished by reengineering the production process, specifically by repurposing the nutrient-rich growth media into the final product rather than discarding it. This innovation not only reduced production costs but also enhanced the nutritional profile of the ingredient, offering a commercially viable and sustainable protein source for use in pet food formulations.
• In April 2024, Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition entered into a strategic partnership with Bond Pet Foods to develop customized, sustainable ingredients for the global pet food market. This collaboration focused on leveraging precision fermentation technology to create high-quality, non-animal-derived proteins tailored to the nutritional requirements of companion animals. The joint development agreement aimed to address the increasing industry demand for environmentally responsible alternatives to traditional meat sources. By combining expertise in animal nutrition with advanced biotechnology, the companies sought to offer pet food manufacturers new functional ingredient solutions that ensure supply chain stability and reduce the environmental footprint of pet diets.

Key Market Players

• Symrise
• FoodSafe Technologies
• AFB International
• DuPont Nutrition & Health
• Biorigin
• Impextraco Ltda Brazil
• Pancosma
• Alltech
• Lallemand, Inc.
• Eurotec Nutrition

By Source	By Type	By Form	By Region
Animal Derivatives Plant Derivatives & Additives	Dog Cat Bird Fish & Others	Dry Pet Food Wet Pet Food	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Pet Food Ingredients Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Pet Food Ingredients Market, By Source:

• Animal Derivatives
• Plant Derivatives & Additives

• Pet Food Ingredients Market, By Type:

• Dog
• Cat
• Bird
• Fish & Others

• Pet Food Ingredients Market, By Form:

• Dry Pet Food
• Wet Pet Food

• Pet Food Ingredients Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE