On course for growth

The global raw pet food market is one of the most expansive in the pet industry. In the USA, as well as in some European countries such as the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, The barf trend has been growing in popularity for many years. In many other parts of the world, this form of feeding, mainly used for dogs but increasingly for cats, is still virtually unknown. This is likely to change over the next few years.  

The Business Research Company, a US-based market research firm, expects the global pet raw food market to grow at an average annual rate of more than 14 per cent through to 2029. Sales in 2024 were estimated at around 4.3 bn dollars – at first glance, a small share of the total pet food market. However, this perspective changes when you consider that current total sales are driven by just a few countries. The Business Research Company predicts that the global raw pet food market could be worth more than 7.2 bn dollars by 2029. “Growth over the forecast period will be driven by a focus on health and wellness, the rise of e-commerce platforms, interest in functional foods, a focus on locally sourced ingredients and investment in consumer education,” the research firm predicts.

“Many pet owners are favouring raw pet food by choosing natural, nutritious products due to fewer additives and the alignment with pets’ natural diets, emphasising high quality, natural foods similar to wild foods”, says The Business Research Company, citing the main reasons for the growing trend. Owners of dogs with allergies, in particular, swear by raw food because it allows them to quickly eliminate protein sources that their dog may not be able to tolerate. In addition, the pet raw food market is very innovative, with new nutritional products being developed all the time. Raw foods are not expected to lose any of their momentum in the coming years. The Business Research Company predicts that the key trends over the next few years will be subscription-based models, innovations in sustainable packaging, advances in food technology, research into novel ingredients and the demand for sustainable protein sources.

The pet food market was originally launched by small and medium-sized specialists. Consolidation is now taking place. Sweden-based The Nutriment Company has grown in just a few years to become Europe’s leading supplier of premium…