The BIG Business of Pet Food

The big business of pet food is astonishing! Morgan Stanley predicts that pet industry spending will balloon to nearly $275 billion by 2030. Many of the companies that own our favorite brands are BIG companines. Actually, many of the companies that own our favorite pet foods and veterinary offices are candy companies! These major players include Mars, JM Smucker, and Nestle.

In fact, Mars is the behemoth that dominated the pet food and care market in 2019, making over 18 BILLION dollars. Mars owns the brands Nutro, Iams, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Caesar, Pedigree and more.

After Mars, another major player in big pet food is Nestle. Nestle owns companies such as Beneful, Purina, Purina Pro Plan, Castor and Pollux (which was once a small, reputable and healthy pet food company), Dog Chow, Beyond, Zukes and more.

Of course, JM Smuckers, the jam company, is next in line in the big business of pet food with 2.9 billion in sales in 2018. Smuckers owns brands like Rachael Ray Nutrish,

In 2018, only 6 companies owned over 106 pet food brands, dominating 89.3% of the North American Pet food market. The big business of pet food is overwhelming and amazing!

Candy Companies and Pet Food?

Why are candy companies are such massive players in the pet care market? How is is possible that companies promoting sugar and products that do nothing to improve our health own most of our pet products? This is my hypothesis, and is simply anecdotal; I believe that consumers tastes are changing, many people are reaching for healthier options, and people realize that, NO, you don’t grab a Snickers bar when you’re hungry.

People are more health conscious and informed than ever. People still LOVE their pets though, and will often spend any amount making sure their Best Friends eat healthy food. This equals a massive opportunity for the companies that make up the big business of pet food.

Mars’ involvement in the pet food industry began long ago. In 1935, Forrest Mars Sr. acquired Chappell Brothers, manufacturer of Chappie brand canned dog food. Since then, Mars has become the major player in the big business of pet food. Pet foods are their largest market share, with 37 billion dollars in revenue for 2020.

Big Business of Pet Food=Big Vet Care

Mars also owns a fair portion of veterinary clinics in North America, with ownership of all of the Banfield Pet Hospitals, Bluepearl, Linneaus, VCA, and Petpartners. One of the small mom and pop pet hospitals in my area is actually a VCA pet hospital and quite possibly owned by Mars.

Chew on this for a moment if you will. Imagine the companies that make the food you eat (which could very well make you sick) owning the healthcare you seek for your family when you become ill from said food. It doesn’t make sense.

However, from a business standpoint, this is brilliant! Mars, a behemoth in its own industry, has the resources to conduct appropriate market research. They saw a growing market sector and took advantage of it.

Pet Food Ingredients; Candy Industry By-Products?

Perhaps you’ve seen dried beet pulp on the ingredient panel. Beet pulp is sometimes used as a fiber filler in pet foods and is a by-product of sugar beet processing. Sugar beets are generally used to make sugar. However, all sugar beets are genetically modified. In the big business of pet food, candy companies who are on board with healthier consumer tastes are trending toward sugar cane to produce their sugar.

Many sources state this is an unhealthy pet food ingredient, with many stating that it’s just fine. Let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?

Dried beet pulp is indeed high in fiber. Additionally, it’s low in sugar. Processing extracts the sugar from the sugar beets. This is a product that once would have gone to waste, but is now used by pet food and livestock manufacturers.

Dried beet pulp is a controversial ingredient since it is a waste product. However, many sources state that it is a gentle form of fiber and supports gastrointestinal health. Alternatively, other sources linked dried beet pulp with DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy) as it interferes with taurine absorption.

Oftentimes, when I encounter conflicting information like this, I tend to avoid the questionable ingredient. Seeing that sugar beets are GMOs is enough for me to want to explore other options. There are so many other wholesome options for fiber in our dogs’ food; veggies like squash, pumpkin, and dark leafy greens, which are good fiber sources without as much controversy.

Be a Saavy Pet Parent

With all the recalls, mergers and aquisitions, and headlines about tainted ingredient batches, it feels like a losing battle understanding the big business of pet food.

Being informed means we question the healthiness and sourcing of ingredients, whether a company uses synthetic vitamins, their honesty, and the amount of trust we should give to pet food brands. Following are commonsense tips for providing your pet with the best quality nutrition and trusting the company who produces the food.

• Read your pet food packaging. If you don’t want a candy company making your Best Friend’s food, figure out who owns the company.
• Contact the company regarding ingredient sourcing. If they cannot respond or answer your questions, move on to a different brand.
• Read those labels! Mainly, look for named meat in the top 3 ingredients (preferably at least 2 out of the top 3)and questionable ingredients you should avoid. Here’s a resource for pet food ingredients to avoid.
• Learn how to calculate the carbohydrates in your dog’s food. Generally speaking, the higher the carb content, the less nutritious and beneficial it is. Start with 100; subtract the percents of protein, fat, ash (you can estimate 8% for ash if it’s not on the bag), and moisture. The number that’s left is the carbohydrate percentage. Many pet foods weigh in at 30-40% carbs!
• Finally, support smaller, local pet food retailers. If you’re lucky enough, there is probably a smaller pet food shop in your town. They’re passionate about keeping our beloved pets well fed and are well educated about the products they carry.

All dogs are different, and the big business of pet food is often very frustrating to wade through. What works for one dog may not for another. I encourage you to talk to your vet about your dog’s diet. Above all, advocate and educate yourself; for your Best Friend’s sake. He doesn’t have a choice in what he eats, but you do!