The future of wet and fresh pet food and snacks & treats: Innovation, quality, and sustainability

February 25 2025 - Blog

The wet and fresh pet food and snacks & treats segments are booming, and this growth presents both exciting opportunities and unique challenges for pet food producers. As a pet food manufacturer, what trends should you be monitoring and how can you stay ahead of the curve in a competitive market? IQI’s sales manager Rick Houtepen shares his insights.

The pet food industry is changing rapidly, with the wet pet food and snacks & treats segments growing continuously. Demand for fresh dog food is also on the rise, with consumers equating fresh with healthy. Pet parents are demanding healthier, high-quality options that align with innovative goals and manufacturers must keep up with these evolving expectations. But how do you navigate this changing environment while ensuring a stable supply chain and product innovation?

As someone deeply involved in this industry, I’ve seen firsthand how ingredient quality, supply stability, and innovation can make or break a product. At IQI, we’ve positioned ourselves at the forefront of the transition towards healthier, superior options in fresh pet food, wet pet food, and snacks & treats. By leveraging OSI Group’s vast global network, we ensure our partners have access to high-quality, sustainable ingredients tailored to meet modern pet food demands.

Your trusted partner for high-quality, sustainable ingredients

As a leader in the industry, IQI works tirelessly to ensure you have access to top-tier ingredients that meet both health and sustainability goals. Our strong partnership with OSI Group allows us to deliver high-quality ingredients from over 50 production sites worldwide, giving you a stable, secure supply.

We are not just about ingredients; we are about collaboration. We work closely with you to optimize your formulations, enhance product stability, and improve palatability – helping you create the very best for your customers.

The road ahead: What’s next?

Looking ahead, I see a few key trends shaping the future of fresh/wet pet food and snacks & treats. Greater demand for alternative proteins is one that is already apparent. How can we balance meat reduction with maintaining nutritional value and palatability? I also see an increased focus on sustainability. What are the best ways to reduce the environmental footprint of pet food production? Specific demands for certain pet groups are also on the rise. How can we accommodate customers with age-, breed- and activity-related nutrition?  At IQI, we’re excited to be part of these developments. The question is: how can we help you navigate these industry shifts?

Prime ingredients

At IQI I have dedicated myself to a portfolio of pure, high-quality ingredients specifically tailored for wet pet food and snacks & treats. This portfolio features:

Wet and frozen by-products – fish, lamb, chicken, pork, and beef sourced from OSI slaughterhouses.

Specialty ingredients – chicken, pork, and beef greaves, lamb and salmon meal, high omega 3 fish oils, salmon oil, and potato.

Novel & functional ingredients – unique claim ingredients such as bacon fat, chicken plasma, chicken liver hydrolysate, Neuburger Fungibite®, Royal Buisman caramelized sugar, algae-based omega 3 solutions, Avebe ProtaSTAR®, Houdek Proteger®, Vaess stability and functional blends.

Want to dive deeper into wet pet food innovation?

Download our bitesize paper on wet pet food trends, challenges, and ingredient opportunities. A quick, practical overview to support your product development.

Let’s work together

I am curious to hear your thoughts. What challenges are you facing in the pet food industry, and how can we help you meet those challenges with innovative, sustainable solutions? Let’s connect and explore solutions together. Looking forward to discussing this further!