Ep 3: Clarity, Cats, & Customization: Where Pet Food is Headed Next

🔍 INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS

🧠 “More Truth, Less Marketing” Becomes a Consumer Mandate
At the 2025 Pet Food Conference, BSM Partners revealed that 93% of consumers want greater transparency in pet food manufacturing, and 79% feel ads are misleading. Most don’t understand terms like “microbiome” or “postbiotics,” but 82% support stricter labeling regulations.
🧠 Takeaway: Simpler language, clearer branding, and value-driven storytelling will drive trust in 2025.

🐱 The Cat Opportunity Is Getting Louder
Cat ownership in the U.S. has grown to 32.1 million households, yet many owners feel neglected. 82% say food is their top pet care priority, and 52% support using sustainable proteins.
🧠 Takeaway: Cat-first innovation—especially in wet, functional, and eco-friendly formats—is key to winning loyalty.

🍽️ Alt-Formats Gain Ground in Cat Food
Kibble usage among cat owners fell from 93% (2021) to 79% (2024). Meanwhile, fresh refrigerated cat food now reaches 14%, raw/frozen 10%, and toppers are used by 26%.
🧠 Takeaway: Freeze-dried, fresh, and functional formats are gaining traction—and there’s still plenty of runway.

🔬 Postbiotics Prove Powerful for Gut Health
ADM research shows combining PRIOME® Gut Health (postbiotic) with Pet Fibersol® (fiber) improves intestinal health, boosts good bacteria, and enhances immunity in cats—especially during food transitions.
🧠 Takeaway: Postbiotics now have real validation. Formulating with proven ingredients boosts efficacy and credibility.

🧬 Personalized Pet Nutrition Gets Smarter
Ollie leads with its “Foodback” loop—adjusting recipes based on pet health data. AI tools like LiDAR scanning and microbiome analysis are expanding what’s possible in tailored nutrition.
🧠 Takeaway: Real-time, data-powered personalization is the next frontier in building lasting pet food loyalty.

✅ ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS

1. Ditch Jargon for Clarity
   Simplify health claims. Use visuals and analogies across channels to decode ingredients and educate shoppers.
2. Prioritize Cats as Primary
   Grow your cat-focused SKUs. Include wellness benefits and treat-style formats—don’t treat feline as secondary.
3. Leverage Gut Health in Formulations
   Postbiotics and fiber now have scientific weight. Highlight benefits like digestive balance and immunity.
4. Embrace Format Flexibility
   Offer trial sizes, freeze-dried samples, and meal toppers to ease food transitions and increase trial-to-loyalty conversion.
5. Start Personalizing Now
   Even without AI, start collecting pet health feedback. Offer flexible feeding plans or mix-and-match DTC programs.

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 🔔 Join us next week for a deeper dive into the pet food trends driving growth in 2025.