Pet Food Manufacturers Generate Economic Value Throughout the Supply Chain
Diverse Ingredient Are Used in U.S. Dog & Cat Food
Arlington, Va, April 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ARLINGTON, Va. – April 7, 2025 – In collaboration with the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), North American Renderers Association’s (NARA) research arm the Fats and Proteins Research Foundation (FPRF) and Pet Food Institute (PFI), the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) unveiled a new report today that quantifies the hundreds of safe ingredients used in dog and cat food diets. The report estimated that dog and cat food sales stood at $51.7 billion in 2024, with much of the 9.8 million tons represented coming from over 600 nutritious plant- and animal-based ingredients.
“The latest IFEEDER pet food consumption report showcases the essential role that U.S. pet food manufacturers play in boosting the rural economy. Through purchases of crop and animal-based food ingredients and securing needed materials and services up and down the agriculture supply chain, this report demonstrates that the pet food industry provides our pets with complete and balanced meals,” said Lara Moody, IFEEDER executive director. “On behalf of project partners AFIA, FPRF and PFI, IFEEDER hopes dog and cat owners will better grasp the expansive variety available in their pets’ diets, and national leaders will gain a better understanding of the industry’s contributions to their local economy and food security.”
Decision Innovation Solutions (DIS) conducted the study using a recipe reverse engineering model to quantify the use of ingredients in dog and cat dry and wet foods and treats. The model allowed the researchers to use a variety of data, such as product UPC codes, nutrition labels, guaranteed analyses, sales and product weights, to determine overall cat and dog food diets by ingredient, without revealing proprietary pet food company data. The 2025 report expanded on DIS’s 2020 report for IFEEDER, capturing a new category of “fresh” pet foods (i.e., those pet foods which are generally made with human-grade, fresh ingredients, cooked at low temperatures and delivered to the owner in a refrigerated or frozen state), and online sales, in addition to data from in-store sales. The expanded dataset used as the basis for the 2025 analysis broadly reflected the researchers’ and project partners’ interest in exploring anecdotal understanding of how consumers’ preferences have shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic toward more convenience options and premium ingredients.
Overall, the report found that in 2024, chicken and chicken-based ingredients were the most used ingredients in dog and cat foods by weight, but marine ingredients, such as salmon and cod, were the leading ingredients by value. Since the 2020 report, which used 2019 data, the popularity of certain, high-value ingredients among consumers has increased, such as by 95% for marine ingredients and 34% for meat and poultry ingredients. Only two ingredient categories saw dips since the 2020 report, including a decrease of 22% for water and 12% for animal protein meals and fats.
Though cats are carnivores, and most U.S. dogs are served nutritious meals with meat, chicken or other animal-based ingredients to make up their daily protein requirements, both pets also consume a healthy variety of fruits and vegetables along with other essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids. In 2024, corn stood as the leading plant-based ingredient, peas the leading specialty ingredient, soybean meal the leading legume and cranberries the top fruit for both dogs and cats. As expected, given the fact that dog breeds can range in healthy weights from only a few pounds to large dogs at over 100 pounds, dry dog food clinched the top spot, by both volume and value of product sold, in 2024.
For the first time, the DIS researchers looked at the use of “upcycled” ingredients, which are nutritious ingredients that humans do not eat (e.g., organs, bones) or coproducts from the human food industry or other industrial processes that might otherwise go to landfills. The report found that pet food is sustainable, with over 3 million tons and over 1 million tons, respectively, of upcycled ingredients purchased for dog and cat foods.
“The pet food industry is committed to partnering with farmers, bakeries, breweries, food processors and other businesses to make use of leftover, nutritious ingredients that would otherwise go to waste,” said Moody. “It’s certainly nothing to bark at that the pet food industry helps sustain our four-legged animal companions and the environment, while providing complete and balanced food options at a variety of price points.”
Overall, pet food manufacturers across 43 U.S. states generated economic value throughout the supply chain in 2024, by purchasing $13.2 billion in farm products, leading to the production of 9.8 million tons of dog and cat food and $51.7 billion in pet food sales. The farm purchases would not have been possible had farmers not bought $9.8 billion in materials and services from their farm suppliers, which purchased $7.6 billion in materials, services, equipment and labor from other industries. The leading states that drove farm purchases to support the production of pet food ingredients in 2024 were Missouri at $1.05 billion, Kansas at $1 billion, Pennsylvania at $800 million, Iowa at $603 million and California at $601 million.
The full report, along with infographics and a multimedia map that allows users to search by species, state or ingredient, are available at ifeeder.org/pet-food-report.
IFEEDER thanks dsm-firmenich, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, National Corn Growers Association and The Peterson Company for providing financial contributions to support this research project.
One hundred percent of IFEEDER donations support funding for research, education and sustainability initiatives on behalf of the U.S. animal food industry. Learn more about IFEEDER at ifeeder.org.
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About IFEEDER
Founded in 2009, the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) is a 501(c)(3) public charity that has built a reputation as a trusted resource for inquiries about the animal food industry’s role in U.S. agriculture. IFEEDER’s mission is to advance understanding and trust in a sustainable animal feed and pet food supply chain through timely research and education. To accomplish its mission, IFEEDER works with diverse partners from across the animal food and broader food and agricultural sector, along with academia and public institutions, to conduct objective research, education and sustainability projects that inform business leaders and decision-makers about the future of the expanding animal feed and pet food industry. Learn more at ifeeder.org.
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- Pet Food Manufacturers Generate Economic Value Throughout the Supply Chain
- Diverse Ingredient Are Used in U.S. Dog & Cat Food
CONTACT: Victoria Broehm Institute for Feed Education and Research 7035583579 vbroehm@afia.org
