PET Food Processing - March 2020 - 10

TRENDS

"This humanization movement is
largely focused on feeding pets
the same thing humans eat, but
these are not the most balanced
or healthy diets for our pets."
Steve Thomas, Darling Ingredients

This Louisiana-based
brand is utilizing wild
Nutria, an invasive species causing imbalance
in the local wetlands,
as a nutritious source of
protein for dog treats.
Marsh Dog

10

Shameless Pets, Chicago, says he believes is
an encouraging sign for innovators.
"Humanization and sustainability
are interrelated trends that support innovation in the pet industry," Bello explains. "As more people see their pets
as family members, we're seeing growing consumer demand for pet treats and
food that meet a higher standard in addressing health, wellness, ethics and
sustainability priorities. "We think this
encourages pet companies to develop
higher quality products that are better for
the environment. We can see this innovation happening in multiple areas, from
alternative protein to upcycled ingredients," Bello adds.
Kelleman points to recent growth
among companies focused on animal
welfare practices, transparency and ingredient traceability, sustainable packaging and other eco- and health-conscious
trends driven by this increased demand
and awareness. "Sustainability is a big
part of this reassessment. More people are
looking for brands and products across
the board that have a greater level of responsibility built-in," he says.
On the other hand, Steve Thomas,
vice president, US protein sales, Darling
Ingredients, Irving, Texas, says he
believes an increased demand for human-preferred ingredients is contradictory to the pet food industry's ability to
be more sustainable.
"This humanization movement is
largely focused on feeding pets the same
thing humans eat, but these are not the
most balanced or healthy diets for our

PET FOOD PROCESSING | March 2020 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

pets," Thomas says. "It also contradicts
the demands for a more sustainable world
that these same pet owners voice."
Pet food is a notable contributor to
global meat consumption and the environmental ramifications that accompany
it, especially the US market. According
to Maria Lange, vice president, pet and
cannabis, The Nielsen Group, the dog
and cat population in the US - totaling
163 million - ranks fifth on the global
scale of meat consumption, on par with
entire countries such as Russia, China
and the US.
Additionally, Gregory Okin of the
University of California Los Angeles
conducted a study on the environmental
impacts of pets and implications of pet
food, in which he found US dogs and cats
"constitute about 25 to 30% of the environmental impacts from animal production in terms of the use of land, water,
fossil fuel, phosphate and biocides."
Thomas warns the continued humanization of pet food ingredients could
cause imbalance in the global protein
supply chain and lead to more food
waste. "Long term, humanization within
the pet food world means more 'humanpreferred' meat (i.e., more animals) will
need to be grown, which will create more
meat co-products that will have to be disposed of in unsustainable ways," he explains. "In short, it works against our efforts to build a more sustainable world."

A process perspective
It can also be useful to look at the sustainability and humanization trends from
http://www.petfoodprocessing.net
PET Food Processing - March 2020

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