10/09/2026

PLP Systems at CIPAL 2026: Precision solutions for Pet Food manufacturers  

The congress will take place on September 23–24, 2026, at UCA (Universidad Católica Argentina) in Buenos Aires, bringing together producers, process engineers, and decision-makers from across the pet food supply chain. PLP Systems will be on-site at Stand S1, ready to showcase its latest solutions for optimizing production lines.   Why precision dosing matters in pet food production
In pet food manufacturing, final product quality depends heavily on how precisely liquids and powders are dosed, mixed, and applied along the production line. Palatants, fats, oils, vitamins, flavorings, and micro-ingredients all require tight tolerances to ensure consistent taste, nutritional value, and food safety, batch after batch.
  This is where PLP Systems brings its expertise, offering equipment designed specifically for the needs of dog and cat food producers — from small-scale plants to high-capacity industrial lines.   PLP Systems solutions on display at CIPAL 2026
Pet food coating systems
Coating is the stage where the final product (kibble, treats, extrudates) receives its outer layer of fats, oils, and palatants — a critical factor in perceived palatability. PLP Systems' coating equipment is engineered for uniform, repeatable coverage, reducing waste and batch-to-batch variability.
  Batch and continuous liquid & powder dosing
PLP Systems offers batch and continuous dosing systems for both liquids and powders, adaptable to different plant configurations. This flexibility allows pet food manufacturers to scale production while maintaining tight control over dosed quantities — essential for formulation compliance and quality standards.
  Mixing and spraying of liquids
Rounding out the offering are mixing and spraying systems, designed for the even application of functional liquids (oils, flavorings, supplements) directly onto the product, improving both process efficiency and the organoleptic quality of the finished pet food.   A direct opportunity to connect with the industry
CIPAL 2026 is more than a technology showcase for PLP Systems — it's a real opportunity to engage with manufacturers across Latin America, a fast-growing market for the pet food industry. Our technical team will be available at Stand S1 to discuss specific needs, evaluate custom configurations, and talk through upgrade projects for existing plants.
  Come see us!
Stand S1 – UCA, Universidad Católica Argentina - September 23–24, 2026
  To schedule a meeting with our team during the show, email us at info@plp-systems.com or visit www.plp-systems.com.
  PLP Systems designs and manufactures dosing, coating, and mixing systems for the food and pet food industry, with tailored solutions for every stage of the production process. Source: PLP Systems

10/07/2025

Challenges in Batching in Animal Nutrition Plants

Batching is a critical process in the manufacturing of animal nutrition, impacting product consistency, efficiency, cost management, and overall quality. A proper batching 'system' (or process) ensures that raw materials are combined in the correct proportions to produce consistent, high-quality products that meet industry standards and consumer expectations. This relates to collecting and weighing all bulk, major, micro and nano ingredients and mixing them until the mix is ready for the next steps in the process.   In this whitepaper, you will learn: The Critical Role of Batching: Why batching is fundamental to consistent product quality, cost control, and operational efficiency in animal nutrition plants. Key Industry Challenges: Insights into ingredient variability, labor shortages, and manual errors that impact production in feed, pet food, and premix manufacturing.  Automation and Smart Systems: How advanced batching systems, including feeders, weighers, and control software, improve accuracy, flexibility, and traceability. Best Practices for Optimization: Actionable strategies for reducing downtime, improving mixing efficiency, and maintaining compliance with regulatory standards. Cost of Poor Batching: A breakdown of the hidden costs - from waste and recalls to brand damage - and how proper systems mitigate these risks.   Click here to download it   Source: KSE Group

10/09/2024

Innovating together: A new development for the premix pet food industry

The customer's choice of the CS-WP solution   An American-based customer of KSE, operating in the premix industry, selected the CS-WP solution due to an urgent need to optimize space utilization in their production facility. This innovative solution enabled them to save significant vertical space, with reductions of 4 to 5 meters compared to a conventional weighing system. Additionally, the CS-WP system offers direct separation of contaminants for all raw materials, ensuring the entire facility remains free from contamination.   Another customer in Spain, a leading manufacturer in the food additive industry, has also expressed interest in the CS-WP solution because of their stringent contamination control requirements. The CS-WP system allows macro ingredients to be safely transported in dedicated containers, ensuring clean and flexible distribution to three separate mixing lines.   Exploration of market-based alternatives   The customer explored two alternative solutions. Initially, a traditional pneumatic conveying system was considered but dismissed due to hygiene issues and excessive energy consumption. The second option involved a container concept relying on AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicle). Ultimately, KSE's CS-WP concept emerged as the most fitting and seamlessly integrable solution, enabling the maintenance of the desired compact building height.   Future expansion and developments   The client positions the CS-WP project as the ''Next Generation Plant'', hinting at the possibility of establishing future plants based on the same concept. This marks the inaugural joint project for the Spanish customer and KSE, with aspirations to extend this concept to other facilities, thereby assuming a pioneering role in the Spanish food additive industry.   A breakthrough solution   The CS-WP emerged as a groundbreaking weighing solution within the ACT (Automatic Container Transfer) framework, renowned for its internal transport capabilities. Manufacturers are seeking space-saving solutions in their plants while aiming to achieve minimal contamination by dispensing products directly into containers. Tailored to accommodate a wide dosing range, this solution stands out for its versatility.   Intensive development process   The concept promptly resonated with our customers' needs and industry demands, particularly in sectors like premix and pet food. The development process of the CS-WP entailed tackling several design challenges, such as achieving optimal balance in the setup. With dimensions of approximately 1.5 meters x 1.5 meters and a height of 5 to 6 meters, this resulted in a column four times as tall as it is wide. This configuration posed potential tipping hazards, especially when the system was in motion while carrying weight at the top. To prevent this, rollover safeguards were implemented, and extensive testing was performed.   Another crucial aspect involved a meticulous examination of the system's extraction process. Customers typically invest in an ACT system to maintain a pristine working environment with minimal contamination. However, if dust escapes through open joints during each movement, this objective is compromised. Moreover, the extraction process must not interfere with the weighing signal during the dosing process, ensuring that accuracy is not compromised.   Following extensive consultation and collaboration with suppliers, multiple concepts were devised and executed by the mechanical, electrical, and software teams. Presently, two variants are available: one where dust from the filters returns with the product, minimizing contamination but ensuring all product accompanies it through processing, and another where dust extraction directs waste to a remote unloading point, eliminating contamination but resulting in waste. The selection between these variants depends on the customer's specific needs and requirements.   The operational phase   During the implementation phase of industrial solutions, addressing technical challenges is only part of the equation; understanding real-world usage is equally vital. Hence, KSE engages its service department from the beginning of a project to ensure that aspects, such as cleaning positions, accessibility, and installation safety are meticulously accounted for. This approach establishes a robust groundwork for a successful project, enhancing both efficiency and safety.   By: KSE Process Technology   Source: All Pet Food Magazine

30/10/2026

United Petfood Expands North American Footprint  

Ghent, Belgium,22-09-2026 – United Petfood, an international private label pet food manufacturer, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a dry pet food production facility in Decatur, Arkansas from Wellness Pet Company,  with the companies also signing a long-term supply agreement in conjunction with this transaction. The acquisition marks another important step in United Petfood's long-term growth strategy in North America and further strengthens its local production capabilities.
  The facility will become United Petfood's third production site in North America, with facilities already established in Mishawaka, Indiana and Drummondville, Quebec.
  "The Decatur site gives us additional capacity and flexibility to respond to our customers' needs. It is another important step in strengthening our production footprint across North America. By expanding our local presence, we can combine the advantages of local production with the expertise and capabilities of our international network of pet kitchens, enabling us to continue growing alongside our customers.', Dries Eeckhout, CEO United Petfood Group.  Source: United Petfood Group

29/10/2026

NorthWind Named 2026 Governor’s Exporter of the Year  

The award was presented October 8 at the 2026 To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards ceremony in Overland Park, where businesses and entrepreneurs from across Kansas were recognized for their contributions to the state's economy and communities.
  For NorthWind, the recognition reflects a journey that began nearly 30 years ago by Mike and Marlene Bosworth in Sabetha, Kansas.
Today, NorthWind provides advanced automation, control systems, and digital solutions to manufacturing facilities here in the US and internationally. From electrical design and control panel construction to plant-wide systems, manufacturing software, and AI Software Solutions, the company helps manufacturers improve operations, connect data, and make better-informed decisions.
While NorthWind's reach has expanded well beyond Kansas, its roots remain an important part of the company's story. With its headquarters in Sabetha and additional offices in Kansas City, Kansas, and San José, Costa Rica, NorthWind continues to grow its international presence, while maintaining the relationships and customer focused service that have helped shape the business.
The Governor's Exporter of the Year award highlights the important role Kansas companies play in the global marketplace. NorthWind's recognition also demonstrates how a company built in a rural Kansas community can develop specialized expertise that serves manufacturers worldwide.
'We're proud of the team and the work that has brought us to this point,' said Matt Bosworth, COO, NorthWind Technical Services. 'In 2013 we began exporting to Latin America. Since then, our export business to that region has grown and in 2019 we opened an office in Costa Rica. It's exciting to see a company here in rural America providing automation to manufacturers in Central and South America.'
NorthWind is grateful to its employees, customers, partners, and community for being part of that journey. Their continued support and collaboration have helped the company grow while staying true to the values that have guided it from the beginning.
As NorthWind looks to the future, the company remains focused on helping manufacturers solve challenges, embrace new technologies, and build more connected and efficient operations. Source: NorthWind

28/10/2026

Zoomark Days Industry Insights:  The Italian Pet Industry Is Stepping Up the Pace to Lead the Way into the Future   

'With the Zoomark Days, we wanted to get even closer to companies and industry professionals, forging connections between them and sharing knowledge with those who work in this sector on a daily basis,' explains Pascale Sonvico, Exhibition Manager at Zoomark. 'The Industry Insights were created precisely with the aim of keeping this dialogue alive, offering concrete opportunities for discussion and in-depth analysis of the hottest topics that are transforming the market.' 
    
'Following the first event in April, which engaged industry players in a stimulating in-depth discussion on e-commerce,' continues Sonvico, 'the second Industry Insights event on the 30th September provided a further opportunity for the Italian pet industry to meet, exchange views and reflect collectively on the future of a market that has always been at the forefront of trends in developing valuable innovations. ' 
  
Organised in collaboration with the Italian trade magazine PetB2B, the event combined vision and commercial innovation, regulatory analysis and a candid assessment of the challenges and opportunities currently facing the market, providing the audience with numerous opportunities for debate and discussion. 
  
Even the choice of venue for discussing the future of the pet industry was no coincidence: from the 28th floor of the Libeskind Tower, PwC's headquarters in the most modern district of Milan and indeed of Italy, it felt natural to look to the future from a different perspective.    A high-profile discussion    The talks throughout the day were of the very highest calibre. The analysis of market data provided by Paolo Garro of Circana confirmed significant growth in value terms for pet food (+3.8 %) and pet care (+5%), driven by the trend towards premiumisation and functional products. 
  In the first debate of the morning, featuring contributions from Giorgio Massoni of Forza10 – Nasta Petfood and Guglielmo Ruggeri of IMG, the strong impact of supply chain challenges emerged, linked to international events over the last five years and the effects of climate change, which are having an ever-greater impact on production and the sourcing of raw materials. 
  Adapting to changes in the pet market is also crucial for success and requires constant responsiveness to legislative updates, such as the European PPWR Directive, introduced with the aim of reducing packaging waste, which is now law across Europe, albeit with a phased implementation schedule extending until 2040. 
  The presentation by Alberto Palaveri of Assografici (Italian National Association of the Printing Industry) highlighted the importance of packaging communication, emphasising that packaging is one of the most widely 'read' media, not least because it contains key messages about the product – and this also applies to the pet market. The product and its packaging share risks and challenges, as well as success. For this reason, the Vice-President of Assografici sent an unequivocal message to the pet industry: collaborate now to build the business.  
  Another recent European regulation, the GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation), has refined the legislation on product safety to protect consumers. To round off the morning's proceedings, Paola Cane of Mia Solutions outlined the evolution of safety culture, emphasising the need to comply with regulations and take full responsibility when manufacturing, importing or distributing all types of pet accessories (from harnesses and leads to bowls, cushions and pet carriers). 
  Among the key changes is the prohibition, in the event of a product recall, on using misleading terms that might downplay the perceived danger and encourage the continued use of the item. The GPSR also protects third parties other than the purchaser: in addition to the animal using the product, it safeguards vulnerable individuals such as children or the elderly who might handle the accessory incorrectly.    Networking, dialogue and strategic synergies    Building bridges between distant and inaccessible markets is part of Zoomark's long-standing philosophy. Similarly, Industry Insights are designed to connect the pet industry with players from other sectors. The Italian pet industry community, gathered in Milan for the latest Industry Insights by Zoomark Days, made the most of this valuable opportunity for discussion amongst professionals facing the same market dynamics, further enriched by the involvement of new, exceptional partners such as PwC Strategy Italia, which hosted the event. 
  In his presentation, Alberto Vigada of PwC Strategy Italia certainly drew the participants' attention to the imminent challenges that must be addressed to avoid destroying value, urging manufacturers to optimise industrial efficiency and plant utilisation, to position themselves in the highest-value segments (super-premium, functional and vet-diet) by selecting the most profitable markets – including overseas ones – and by forging strategic category and private-label partnerships with retailers, whilst not neglecting direct channels and e-commerce. Only those who focus on efficiency and distinctiveness will be able to anticipate the future. 
  Riccardo Chechi of QBerg, meanwhile, presented the findings of the research: 'Mystery Shopping in the Pet Retail Sector'. Carried out by mystery shoppers, the survey analysed the service provided by staff at 50 outlets, including independent pet shops and specialist chains. Although some shortcomings emerged, the assessment highlighted a good overall level of competence: based on the total scores awarded by the undercover customers, Italian shop assistants achieved an average final score of 7 out of 10. This is an encouraging result, though it still leaves plenty of room for improvement, which the industry and retailers are called upon to address together. 
  For companies looking to the future, investing in digital transformation is a strategic and decisive factor. 
  The final presentation before the PetB2B Forum was delivered by Omnipet by Guttadauro Network, a sponsor of Industry Insights specialising in IT services and cyber security. According to Luigi D'Alessandro, in Italy only 14 out of 100 companies have achieved digital maturity. Reassuring the audience that AI will not replace day-to-day jobs, he reiterated how important it is for Italian pet companies too to boost digitalisation if they intend to increase production capacity, optimise warehouse organisation, streamline orders and manage shipments. 
  In the afternoon, the Industry Insight by Zoomark Days hosted the Pet B2B Forum with two round-table discussions. 
  The first focused on the changes to be implemented in the production chain and distribution network, both now and in the future, brought Dan Franco of Rinaldo Franco, Carlo Gheda of Gheda Pet Food and Paolo Castegnaro of Trixie onto the stage, where they shared their business experiences. 
  This was followed by panel contributions on the pet shop of the future, featuring Luciano Fassa from Monge, Vito Bolognese from Pet Village and Vincenzo Francioso from Conad PetStore. 
  Price will once again be a decisive factor for a significant segment of consumers. Therefore, although the specialized channel remains essential for the pet community, it will be up to retailers to adapt to the new generation of pet parents, coexist with social media and e-commerce, and offer unique services that cannot be obtained online. 
  With the industry-focused meetings now concluded, Zoomark Days continues on a multi-stop journey, bringing the next Retail Labs – dedicated to the worlds of retail and grooming – to Salerno on 19th October 2026 and in Bari on 9th November.  Source: Zoomark

14/10/2026

The Invisible Footprint of Pet Food: When the Lack of Market Intelligence Also Impacts the Planet

The pet food industry has made significant progress in sustainability. Manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers are investing increasing resources in improving energy efficiency, reducing waste, optimizing logistics routes, and developing packaging alternatives with lower environmental impact.

These are necessary and valuable initiatives. However, there is one question that rarely appears in industry conversations: How big is the footprint if we make wrong decisions? The question may seem unusual, but it is becoming increasingly relevant in an industry that operates in environments of growing complexity, where decisions involve multimillion-dollar investments, international supply chains, long-term industrial capabilities, and consumers whose habits are constantly evolving.

When we talk about sustainability, we tend to focus on what happens after a decision has been made, which is what happens inside the plant, during distribution, or at the point of sale. It is much less common to analyze what happens beforehand.
Many of the Costliest Footprints Are Generated in the Boardroom
There is a natural tendency to associate environmental impact with manufacturing. However, some of the decisions with the greatest consequences for the efficient use of resources are made long before a plant produces a single kilogram of food.

An oversized investment, an expansion based on unrealistic expectations, or an incorrect reading of the market can generate years of operational inefficiencies that are difficult to correct afterward. When this happens, the problem is no longer only financial. It also translates into resources mobilized, installed capacity, inventories, and commercial efforts that end up pursuing an opportunity different from the one that actually existed.

Sustainability is usually measured after production begins. Perhaps part of the conversation should start before the investment is made.

consider a company that has decided to expand production capacity for a category that is expected to grow over the next few years. The decision seems logical. However, if actual growth is concentrated in specific segments, if sufficient idle capacity already exists in the market, or if demand evolves differently than expected, the result may be an underutilized investment for years. This is very common.

The same happens with product launches. Many studies of consumer-packaged goods estimate that a significant proportion of new products fail to achieve the commercial objectives originally set for them. Behind those projects were raw materials, packaging, industrial capacity, transportation, storage, executive time, and financial resources that were mobilized to capture an opportunity that ultimately turned out to be smaller than anticipated.

We usually analyze these cases from a financial perspective. However, they also represent an inefficient use of resources that could have been avoided with a deeper understanding of the market.
There is Data, but Not Always Architecture
In this context, most companies have enough information to understand their own business: sales, costs, customers, inventories, margins, operational efficiency, and channel performance. Although that is not usually the central problem.

The challenge arises when a decision requires understanding the entire system—that is, when a company needs to know whether the growth of a category comes from greater real consumption or simply from inflation; whether additional volume is being concentrated among a few players or creating room for new competitors; whether a regional expansion justifies its own investment or can be addressed through existing capacity; whether the growing channel is also capturing value, or simply shifting volume with lower profitability. These types of answers rarely exist within a single database. They are usually fragmented across commercial teams, market reports, distributors, suppliers, plants, customers, and the knowledge accumulated by local teams. For that reason, many decisions do not fail because of an absolute lack of information, but because of a lack of an integrated reading of the market. The difference is substantial. A company may have a great deal of data but not a clear architecture for decision-making.
The Real Cost of Uncertainty
For years, the industry learned to measure tons, market share, sales, and productivity—fundamental indicators for managing any business. However, there is one cost that rarely appears on executive dashboards: uncertainty.

Uncertainty manifests itself when an organization develops more SKUs than the market actually needs. It also appears when a company invests in categories whose future profitability has been overestimated; when it takes months to identify the right manufacturing partner; when it builds capabilities that end up operating below their potential; or when it launches products whose value proposition was never sufficiently validated.

Each of these mistakes generates visible and invisible costs. The visible costs appear in financial statements. The invisible costs appear in the form of resources, time, energy, transportation, materials, and efforts that could have been allocated to opportunities with a higher chance of success.
The Next Competitive Advantage Will Be the Quality of Decisions
Throughout the history of the pet food industry, competitive advantages have been associated with better plants, better formulations, better production processes, and better distribution networks.

All these factors will continue to be important. However, the industry's next competitive advantage will probably not come from a better plant or a better formulation, but from a better understanding of the system.

Markets do not operate in isolation, and neither do decisions. Just as an industrial investment affects the competitive structure, a change in channels modifies profitability. Likewise, the availability of production capacity changes barriers to entry, while consumer evolution redefines entire categories.

The challenge is to understand how these variables interact before committing resources. In increasingly complex markets, the costliest mistakes rarely come from executing a strategy poorly; they often come from having misinterpreted the opportunity from the beginning.
Optimizing Decisions Reduces Footprint and Improves Our Business
The industry will continue innovating in ingredients, packaging, and processes. However, some of the greatest opportunities for improvement are not in the plants, but before an investment, a product launch, or an expansion is approved.

The companies that best understand the market—and not only their business—will be the ones that allocate resources more effectively, make fewer strategic mistakes, and capture more growth. By Iván Franco
Source: All Pet Food Magazine

By Iván Franco

13/10/2026

From Farm to Bowl: An Analysis to Maximize Sustainability Impacts

Multinational companies leading the industry are already leading the way and defining the standard. Nestlé has made strong public commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero emissions, emphasizing the advancement on regenerative agriculture. Mars Petcare aims to reduce its carbon footprint across its entire value chain by 50% and has implemented ambitious goals to transition its packaging toward circular economy models.
Why are category leaders investing so many resources in sustainability?
The answer is that consumers are demanding greater accountability. Natural resources are finite, and long-term financial viability depends on the ability to adapt.

To understand how we can maximize our impact, let us explore the production chain from a holistic perspective: from farm to bowl. As I have mentioned in previous articles, the factory may seem like a magical world where raw materials enter and value-added packaged products emerge. However, every step—both inside and outside that magic—leaves an environmental footprint that commercial teams, together with other business functions, must know how to manage and communicate.
The Farm: Sourcing Raw Material and Ingredients 
The pet food manufacturing process is complex. The quality of the final product depends largely on the quality of its ingredients. However, in today's context, quality must also take origin and environmental impact into account. Agriculture and livestock production undeniably account for the largest share of our industry's carbon footprint.
  Regenerative agriculture and livestock: We must transition toward suppliers that implement practices aimed at improving soil health, optimizing water use, and capturing atmospheric carbon.
  Protein sustainability: Supply chains should be redesigned to eliminate deforestation risks associated with critical raw materials while prioritizing 100% certified sources and evaluating alternative proteins with lower environmental impact.
  The Process: Operations and Manufacturing
Every stage presents significant opportunities within the production plant. In many cases, the best ideas emerge from careful observation and a deep understanding of the manufacturing process. Best of all, sustainable innovation does not always require multimillion-dollar investments.
  Energy and water management: The gradual transition to renewable energy sources and the optimization of industrial water use are essential steps toward decarbonizing production.
  Low-effort, high-impact innovation: Improving food digestibility can help reduce biological waste generated by pets. Likewise, in dry pet food production, monitoring and optimizing pressure and temperature parameters during extrusion is not only vital for product quality but can also significantly reduce energy consumption.   Packaging: The Product's Face 
Packaging protects pet food from moisture, light, and oxygen while providing consumers with essential information. However, the industry's historical dependence on multilayer plastics represents a major environmental liability.
  Material circularity: Using more sustainable packaging materials, such as recyclable mono-material solutions or compostable packaging, reduces environmental impact and appeals to increasingly eco-conscious consumers. This does not require changes to the food formulation, yet it can have a highly positive effect on brand perception.
  Logistics efficiency: From a logistical standpoint, improving fill rates and redesigning packaging dimensions for greater efficiency can generate large-scale operational savings. Optimized boxes and pallets translate into fewer trucks on the road, reducing fossil fuel consumption and emissions. Likewise, embracing the e-mobility revolution can further contribute to broader sustainability goals.
  The Bowl: Commercialization and Marketing
The commercial area must serve as an honest ambassador of a brand's sustainability efforts. Packaging material selection and label design are strategic decisions, as they represent the first communication touchpoint consumers encounter on store shelves before the product reaches the pet's bowl.
  Marketing with substance: It is essential for commercial teams to understand the environmental impact of key ingredients and the sustainability initiatives implemented within manufacturing operations. Communicating these efforts with real data strengthens the company's position in the marketplace.
  Transparency as a competitive advantage: Understanding the entire 'farm-to-bowl' process enables sales teams to answer questions accurately regarding manufacturing methods, ingredient origin, and quality controls. This transparency builds credibility, fosters long-term relationships, and distances brands from the significant reputational risks associated with greenwashing.   A Call to Action Across the Entire Value Chain
Sustainability-driven innovation is a winning long-term strategy for the pet food industry. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the value chain, commercial teams can unlock a wave of creative ideas that improve products, optimize costs, and meet evolving market demands.

However, achieving the goal of a truly responsible business model is not a task confined to quality assurance or environmental departments. It is a systemic effort that spans the entire chain, from agricultural sourcing to the neighborhood pet store.

I would like to conclude this article with a genuine invitation to all stakeholders within the ecosystem—manufacturers, raw material suppliers, veterinarians, and retailers. Let us take a moment to examine our own operations: Where can we generate less waste? What silent innovation can we implement today?

The sustained success of our industry will depend on our ability to nourish pets with the same passion with which we preserve the only planet we have to share with them. By Felipe Martínez R.
Source: All Pet Food Magazine

By Felipe Martínez R.

29/09/2026

The Future of the Pet Food Sector Will Be More Efficient

The most effective strategists do not depend on big changes now, but on intelligent improvements in formulation, nutritional efficiency, and resources use. From upcycled ingredients to highly bioavailable micronutrients, the sustainable future of pet food has relied on small solutions with significant impact.

Traditionally, pet food sustainability was associated with recyclable packaging or plastic reduction. However, the real environmental impact comes long before, in the ingredients, their origin, and how efficiently animals use each nutrient.

An efficient nutritional formula can reduce raw material utilization, metabolic waste, emissions from production processes, and the required amount of food. This possibility has led brands to rethink formulation from the perspective of nutritional precision.

The question is no longer how many ingredients food contains but the functional value it provides. One of the most important strategies for sustainability is the use of upcycled ingredients, which are raw materials recovered from other food waste streams. These ingredients preserve a high nutritional value and can be efficiently introduced into pet formulations.

Some examples include proteins recovered from food processing, brewer grains rich in fiber and protein, functional vegetable pulp, yeasts derived from fermentation, reused oils under quality control, and fruits and vegetables discarded for aesthetic reasons.

The environmental benefit is clear: less waste, lower agricultural pressure, reduced emissions, and better resource use.

There is also an important economic advantage. Upcycled ingredients usually offer greater cost stability than traditional raw materials, which are subject to global volatility. As a result, the circular economy becomes both an environmental and financial strategy.

However, the silent revolution lies in functional microingredients. These components work at low concentrations but significantly affect digestibility, intestinal health, absorption, and metabolic performance. As a result, they enable more efficient diets with fewer global resources—microalgae, for example, have become a strategic alternative to fish oil, providing DHA, antioxidants, natural colorants, and functional proteins. Moreover, its production requires less soil and reduces pressure on marine ecosystems.

Conventional inorganic minerals cause significant losses because a major portion is not fully absorbed. Chelated minerals have greater bioavailability, making it possible to use lower doses, reduce excretions, and decrease environmental loads. This is a clear example of how nutritional efficiency also supports sustainability. Chelated minerals play an essential role by maximizing performance without proportionally increasing resource use.

Precision formulation enables the supplementation of protein profiles with specific amino acids and bioactive peptides. It reduces the need to overformulate total protein, lowering the environmental impact associated with high-cost ecological ingredients—this means more nutrition with less protein.

One of the most important changes in the industry is the new sustainability metrics. It is no longer enough to measure the carbon footprint of ingredients; now it is necessary to evaluate digestibility, nutrient conversion, actual absorption, and metabolic efficiency. More digestible food requires less volume to provide the same nutritional benefit, which reduces the impact on transport, production, waste, and pressure on raw materials. The future of sustainability will depend even more on ecological efficiency.

Proteins—still the first ingredient chosen by tutors—are a primary environmental focus in pet food. For this reason, hybrid solutions that combine different protein sources are emerging to optimize performance and reduce impact. These solutions include the following:
  Insect proteins are used for their high digestibility, reduced water consumption, and lower emissions. Functional compounds production without heavy livestock. Optimized vegetable proteins.
  The goal is not to eliminate animal proteins but to build more resilient and efficient systems.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of each raw material will be even more considered in the pet food industry. This methodology evaluates the environmental impact of a product's life cycle, from the raw material extraction to its elimination or final stage, such as the factory.

Sustainability has been considered an additional cost for many years—but nowadays, it is a competitive tool. Brands that optimize formulations, reduce waste, enhance digestive efficiency, and use functional ingredients with high precision can reduce costs while generating premium differentiation, supply stability, and higher brand value.

The next pet food generation will not be defined solely by protein levels or 'natural' labels. Real leadership will come from the ability to produce functional nutrition with the smallest possible carbon footprint. In this scenario, trends such as microingredients, highly bioavailable micronutrients, and upcycled ingredients will become structural pillars of the industry.

The most powerful innovation will not be producing more food, but achieving nutrition with maximum positive impact and minimum environmental impact. By MVZ Armando Enriquez de la Fuente Blanquet
Source: All Pet Food Magazine

By Armando Enriquez de la Fuente Blanquet

27/04/2026

Inflexible Formulations: What Vitamin & Amino Acid Supply Disruption Could Mean for Pet Food  

Recent discussions around vitamin and amino acid supply chains highlight a critical issue: these nutrients are not optional in pet food. Like the animal protein sector, they are foundational to animal health, but for pet food they are also integral to product integrity and regulatory compliance. For the pet food sector, even small disruptions can have outsized impacts.   The Nutritional and Formulation Challenge
Pet food is governed by strict nutrient requirements. In the U.S., dog and cat foods must meet defined nutrient profiles that specify minimum levels of essential vitamins and amino acids per pound of product. This means formulation is not simply about substituting ingredients; it is about maintaining precise nutritional balance. When supply disruptions occur, nutritionists are forced into complex reformulation decisions, which I describe as, 'solving a Rubik's Cube' -- adjusting one component inevitably affects multiple others. 
  Ingredient shifts can alter digestion, stability and overall product performance. When key vitamins or amino acids become scarce, manufacturers may need to modify formulations, and those changes carry real risk. Nutrient imbalances may impact gut health, skin and coat quality or long-term wellness. Changes in ingredient composition can also affect palatability and food intake, which pet owners will quickly notice. At the same time, reformulations may jeopardize label claims, certifications or even patented formulations. 
  Pets, particularly cats, have unique nutritional requirements that heighten the stakes of supply disruption. Taurine, for example, is essential for cats, and inadequate levels can lead to serious health conditions such as dilated cardiomyopathy. Nutrient interactions, such as those involving thiamine and amino acid balance, can create cascading formulation challenges. Certain dog breeds also require careful amino acid fortification to avoid health complications. These sensitivities mean that even temporary shortages can have real biological consequences if not managed carefully. 
  The risks become even more pronounced in veterinary therapeutic diets, which are designed as part of a broader health management plan; for example, renal diets for kidney support. When supply disruptions force the use of alternative or endogenous nutrient sources, unintended consequences may arise, including the introduction of unwanted co-nutrients, reduced bioavailability or conflicts with the intended therapeutic outcome. In these cases, formulation changes are not just technical, they are clinical decisions with direct implications for animal health. 
  Alternative ingredient strategies often rely on endogenous sources or complex co-products. While these can help bridge supply gaps, they introduce new uncertainties around nutrient availability, digestibility and additional nutrients that must be managed. In pet food, even small ingredient swaps can significantly alter the overall formula, increasing the risk to product design and performance.    A Supply Chain Issue with System-Wide Implications
One of the most important realities is that pet food does not operate in isolation. The same supply chains that support livestock production and human nutrition also supply companion animal diets. 
  As a result, disruptions in vitamin and amino acid production affect multiple sectors simultaneously. Increased costs or limited availability upstream in protein production ultimately translate into higher costs and tighter constraints downstream in pet food. This interconnectedness underscores a broader point: pet food is part of a larger food security system in North America. 
  While rising costs are a concern, the more fundamental challenge is maintaining supply stability. Pet food formulations are not easily or frequently changed due to regulatory requirements, labeling and packaging constraints, product claims and certifications and intellectual property considerations. Because of these constraints, the industry cannot simply adjust on the fly. Stability in ingredient supply is essential to maintaining consistent, safe and compliant products. 
  Ensuring a stable supply of vitamins and amino acids is critical to the future of the pet food industry. This will require coordinated efforts across agriculture, ingredient manufacturing and regulatory systems. Without that stability, the industry faces increasing pressure on formulation integrity, product performance and ultimately animal health. 
  The question is not just how to respond to disruption, but how to build a more resilient supply chain that supports pets, producers, and consumers alike.  Source: IFEEDER

11/07/2023

Nutritional needs of cats and dogs

Pet food can be complete or complementary. Complete pet food is nutritionally complete: providing all the nutrients in the amounts and proportions your pet needs. Complementary pet food (e.g. treats) is designed to be only a part of the diet and it won't meet the nutritional requirements when fed alone. Pet food manufacturers have developed the nutritional expertise to ensure pet food contains the right ingredients in the right amounts to supply the needed nutrients. They often work together with independent nutrition scientists or follow guidelines which have been developed by a group of scientists working together. The broadening knowledge of pet nutrition and food technology has transformed the pet food industry remarkably over the years. It is now widely recognised by the veterinary profession and other stakeholders that improved nutrition is an important factor which helps pets to live longer, healthier lives. Besides water there are 5 key nutrients: Proteins Carbohydrates Fats Vitamins Minerals
The first 3 provide the energy your pet needs for e.g. growth, digestion, temperature regulation and of course activity. Proteins Proteins are made up of amino acids. There are hundreds of different amino acids, but a number of these are required for dogs and cats. Pets can produce some amino acids themselves; those are the so-called non-essential amino acids which do not need to be present in the diet. Others are essential and need to be part of the pet food: for dogs there are 10 essential amino acids, for cats there are 11. Proteins are the building blocks of organs, muscles, bones, blood, immune system and hair and nails. Proteins in pet food can come from various different ingredients, both from animal and vegetable origin like poultry, beef, pork, fish, eggs, corn, rice, peas or soybeans. It's important that the pet eats the right amount of proteins and that the protein can be easily digested and absorbed, which is influenced by the source of the protein and the processing of the food. In prepared pet food, manufacturers generally select a variety of ingredients to provide the required amount and type of proteins/amino acids. Excess proteins which are consumed by the pet are not stored in the body and also not used to make even more muscle tissue. Feeding extra protein in excess of the amount that your pet requires provides no health benefit to your pet. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are used by the body to provide immediate energy for activities and are stored in the liver and muscle as glycogen. Energy use is needed for various body functions like metabolism and the function of the brain and nervous system. There exists no minimum level of carbohydrates which needs to be in pet food, but carbohydrates provide a concentrated source of dietary energy and dietary fibre. There are two types: digestible carbohydrates (starches and sugars) which provide energy and indigestible carbohydrates (fibre) which are important for stool quality and gut motility. Fibres can help in weight management because they are low in calories and help provide the feeling of satiety. The ingredients providing carbohydrates are mainly plant ingredients like corn, barley, peas, rice, wheat and potatoes. Dietary fibre sources include for instance dried beet pulp, wheat bran or soybean hulls. Many sources of carbohydrates also provide other nutrients like protein, fat or vitamins. Because of the manufacturing process of grinding and cooking the carbohydrates become easily digestible. A genetic change in the ancestors of our modern dogs (compared with wolves) allowing them to thrive on a diet rich in starch was a crucial step in their early domestication. Also cats can utilise glucose from digesting starch in their diet. A key exception is the pet's ability to digest lactose (milk sugar) because they have lower levels of the enzyme lactase required to split the lactose into individual sugars. Dietary fat Fats in pet food are a source of essential fatty acids which are needed to make certain hormones and maintain the cell membranes. Certain vitamins (A, D, E and K) can only be absorbed, stored and transported by fat. Dietary fats improve palatability and add texture for greater enjoyment of the food. And of course, fats are a great source of energy because they provide about 2 ½ times the level of energy that proteins or carbohydrates can provide. So especially for active animals fats are important, while at the same time we need to be careful with the fat intake for many indoor pets where controlling fat intake helps them not become overweight or obese. Fats in pet food come from animal and vegetable sources. Two key fatty acid families are the omega-3 and omega-6 (or n-3 and n-6) families. Omega-3 fatty acids are needed for cell membranes and reduces inflammation. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fish, shellfish and flaxseed. Omega-6 fatty acids are important to aid in the process of repairing tissue and are found in vegetable oils. Minerals & Vitamins The major or macro minerals needed in the body are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride and magnesium. The amounts needed of the trace elements are much smaller and these include for instance iron, copper and selenium. Vitamins are nutrients needed in very small amounts, but they enable many functions in the body. Dogs and cats cannot make all the vitamins they need; so these must be supplied by the food. Minerals and vitamins are partly provided by the ingredients which deliver the major nutrients of protein, carbohydrates and fat and the other minerals and vitamins are added to the recipe. by FEDIAF 

09/06/2023

How important is choline for cats

Choline is a vitamin-like component that plays an important role in liver health and nerve transmission, and thereby also cognitive function and muscle function in cats. As said above, cats produce some choline naturally, but due to its importance, pet food brands are advised to add this nutrient into the food. Krill – a natural source of phosphatidylcholine Choline is available in various forms, choline chloride, lecithin, or choline bitartrate. The commonly used one is choline chloride which is 12 times less bioavailable than the choline found in krill (phosphatidylcholine) Krill meal is made from Antarctic krill (Euphausia Superba), which is a crustacean related to shrimp. The choline found in krill is all-natural and in form of phosphatidylcholine. Krill is also rich in phospholipid omega-3s, marine proteins, and astaxanthin. herefore, one of the ways to increase choline intake in cats is to include in their diet a pet food with krill meal, which provides choline. Choline - an essential nutrient for cats In 2018, a survey of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimated that 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in the United States were overweight or obese. This has serious health consequences for pets, including fat accumulation in the liver. A balanced, healthy diet for cats accompanied by regular physical activity is essential for overall health. In addition, nutritional supplements may help to reduce the risk of weight-related issues or optimize nutrition for cats. One way to do that is to provide cats with pet food with krill meal containing choline in the form of phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is one of the most fundamental molecules that make up the living cell. Being an essential component of the cell membrane, it is also the most abundant in a class of phospholipids known as 'essential phospholipids', as it forms the structural barrier that surrounds the cell. Choline and its metabolites have multiple physiological roles in the body which are important for the building of cell membranes, liver fat transport to prevent fatty liver, nerve impulse transmission in brain and muscles, and provision of methyl groups that maintain liver, heart, and kidney health.  What is choline essential for? 1. Building of cell membranes Phosphatidylcholine is an integral part of almost every cell in the animal body, being a major constituent of cell membranes. It's also important for normal cellular membrane composition and repair. Its role in cell membrane integrity is vital to all basic biological processes such as the information flow within cells from DNA to RNA to proteins. 2. Liver fat transport to prevent fatty liver Choline improves and maintains a healthy liver function and can aid in the proper metabolism of fat. In other words, choline is very important for the proper functioning and regulation of the liver and gallbladder. This vitamin-like substance aids in hormone production and minimizes fat accumulation in the liver by regulating fat and cholesterol metabolism. 3. Nerve impulse transmission in the brain and muscles Choline is needed for the proper transmission of nerve impulses and is a constituent of acetylcholine, the major neurotransmitter. This is essential in supporting brain development, the learning process, the nerve transmitters and affects the overall mental well-being of pets. 4. Providing methyl groups that maintain liver, heart, and kidney health Being a structural element of cell membranes (as phosphatidylcholine), choline supports lipid transport and acts as a source of methyl groups (after it is transformed into betaine) for various chemical reactions in the body. By controlling protein function and gene expression, choline is important for the proper function of the heart and blood vessels, nerve system, liver and reproduction. Therefore, we can say that choline in the form of phosphatidylcholine is an essential nutrient that cats require for a healthy and happy life. It supports muscle function, cognitive function and memory, it helps maintain normal cholesterol values, and protecting the liver from toxicity (without phosphatidylcholine, fat and cholesterol accumulate in the liver due to reduced low-density lipoprotein levels). Moreover, choline can prevent the appearance of the fatty liver syndrome and also support normal liver function. It can reduce insulin requirements in cats with diabetes, and diminishes seizure frequency, being important in the treatment of epilepsy. By Qrill Pet   

19/10/2026

Impact of Dog and Cat Diet Formulation on Environmental Sustainability 

In line with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, the pet industry seeks strategies that reduce its environmental impacts, highlighting food formulation and efficient ingredient selection as important tools for this process.
How Plant- and Animal-Based Ingredients Impact the Environment 
The ingredients used in the formulation of dog and cat food have different environmental impacts along the production chain. Factors such as raw material origin, processing, transportation, and use of natural resources influence the sustainability of these products (Swanson et al., 2013).

Ingredients of animal origin are widely used due to their high biological value and the presence of essential amino acids. However, its production is associated with the consumption of water, energy, and productive areas, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and land occupation (Swanson et al., 2013; Pedrinelli et al., 2022). In general, diets with a higher share of animal ingredients have higher environmental impacts, especially those containing beef, while predominantly vegetable formulations tend to have lower values for environmental indicators, Figure 1 (Brociek; Gardner, 2025). 

In turn, plant ingredients, such as corn, soybeans, and wheat, generally require fewer resources than some animal sources, although their cultivation also involves the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and water, in addition to nutritional limitations that must be considered in the formulation (Kim et al., 2024; Cao et al., 2026).

Thus, the sustainability of diets depends on the balance between environmental, nutritional, and economic aspects, considering the origin of the ingredients, their digestibility, and the use of nutrients (Swanson et al., 2013; Pedrinelli et al., 2022).   Figure 1. Comparison of the environmental impacts of different types of dog diets, expressed per 1,000 kcal supplied.
Circular Economy and Waste Use
The circular economy has been identified as an important strategy to increase the sustainability of production systems, promoting more efficient use of resources and reducing waste generation (Mullen et al., 2017; Alexander et al., 2020). In the pet industry, this concept can be applied by using co-products from other agro-industrial chains, transforming materials that could be discarded into ingredients with nutritional value for dogs and cats.

In conventional feeds, ingredients such as viscera meal, blood plasma, and other protein co-products are widely used in the formulation of pet foods (Magalhães, 2025). In addition to reducing waste, these ingredients allow the reuse of nutrients already inserted in the production chain, which can reduce the environmental impacts of food production (Alexander et al., 2020). Several agro-industrial co-products can be incorporated into the formulation of dog and cat foods (Chart 1). The use of these ingredients reduces the waste of materials with nutritional value and favors the best use of resources already used in production processes (Alexander et al., 2020).
Table 1. Examples of agro-industrial co-products used in the formulation of dog and cat food and their main nutritional applications.  Source: Adapted from Magalhães (2025), Mullen et al. (2017), and Alexander et al. (2020).
Co-products generated during the production of food for human consumption can be reused in pet food manufacturing, reducing waste and increasing the system's efficiency (Figure 2). According to Alexander et al. (2020), this practice can also reduce competition for ingredients intended for human consumption. In addition, the use of these materials allows resources that have already been produced to continue to be used within the production chain.
  Figure 2. Circular economy in dog and cat food through the use of co-products.
In addition to conventional co-products, new alternatives have been studied within the principles of the circular economy, with emphasis on the use of proteins obtained from insects, capable of converting organic waste into biomass of high nutritional value (Lu et al., 2022; Valdés et al., 2022).   Relationship Between Digestibility, Environmental Impact, and Sustainable Formulation
The digestibility of ingredients is an important factor for the sustainability of formulations, as it directly influences the efficiency of nutrient use by animals. Diets with higher digestibility tend to reduce the amount of feces and, consequently, the environmental impacts associated with feeding dogs and cats (Swanson et al., 2013; Abd El-Wahab et al., 2021). Results such as this were observed by Santos et al. (2025), who, when evaluating a highly digestible gastrointestinal adjuvant diet in relation to a low digestibility diet, demonstrated that the dry matter digestibility coefficient of 82.6% and 70.7% of the diets, proportionally impacted the amount of fecal production produced per animal per day, resulting in 117.8 and 249.4 g/day, respectively.

Thus, the environmental concern for providing diets with low digestibility occurs due to fecal production contributing to part of the environmental impact. This is because feces can potentiate eutrophication and ecotoxicity processes in aquatic environments (Yavor et al., 2020). In addition, the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus excreted by dogs and cats also contributes to the contamination process (Cowan et al., 2024).
Thus, formulation strategies aimed at increasing digestibility can contribute to more efficient food systems, reconciling nutritional performance and environmental sustainability.

Thus, sustainable formulation seeks to meet the nutritional requirements of animals and reduce the environmental impacts associated with food production. In this context, different strategies have been studied by the pet industry to increase efficiency in the use of resources and promote more sustainable systems (Swanson et al., 2013; FEDIAF, 2025).

Among these strategies, amino acid balancing stands out, which allows the levels of essential amino acids to be more precisely adjusted to the diet. This practice favors the use of nutrients, reduces nutritional excesses, and makes the use of raw materials more efficient. In addition, the choice of ingredients with good biological value and nutritional quality contributes to more balanced formulations (Swanson et al., 2013).

The processing of ingredients also influences the quality of food. Steps such as grinding and extrusion can increase nutrient availability. Likewise, functional ingredients, such as blood plasma and agro-industrial co-products, have been gaining ground because they add nutritional value and favor the use of available resources (Tran et al., 2008; Vasconcellos et al., 2023).

Results obtained by Abd El-Wahab et al. (2021) demonstrated that diets containing Hermetia illucens larvae meal had digestibility coefficients like those observed in conventional diets, in addition to maintaining adequate fecal quality. These results indicate that alternative protein sources can be used without compromising the nutritional performance of animals. In addition, it has good nutritional value and potential for use in more sustainable systems. Its production can be associated with the use of organic waste, contributing to the circular economy.
Final Considerations
The growth of the pet market has increased the importance of sustainability in the production of dog and cat food. In this scenario, strategies such as the careful selection of ingredients, the use of co-products, the increase in the digestibility of diets, and the use of alternative proteins can contribute to reducing the environmental impacts of the production chain. Although there are still challenges for the adoption of these practices on a large scale, different solutions have been studied and implemented by the industry, aiming at the development of formulations that reconcile nutritional quality, efficient use of natural resources, and environmental responsibility. By Laura Cicília Cassol da Silva¹, Bruna Cavalari Santello¹, Lorenna Nicole Araújo Santos¹, Gabriele Ancilotto Oliveira², Douglas Melo de Souza³, Josiane Aparecida Volpato¹
Source: All Pet Food Magazine
  ¹State University of Maringá (UEM)
²São Paulo State University (Unesp - Araçatuba)
³Federal University of Bahia (UFBA)
  References
ABD EL-WAHAB, A.; et al. Insect larvae meal (Hermetia illucens) as a sustainable protein source of canine food and its impacts on nutrient digestibility and fecal quality. Animals, Basel, v. 11, n. 9, p. 2525, 2021.
ALEXANDER, P.; et al. The global environmental paw print of pet food. Global Environmental Change, v. 65, p. 102153, 2020.
BROCIEK, R. A.; GARDNER, D. S. Environmental impact of feeding plant-based versus meat-based dry dog foods in the United Kingdom. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, v. 9, p. 1633312, 2025.
CAO, S.; WANG, L.; YANG, Y. Vegetable yields and environmental impacts vary widely across types, production technologies, and global regions. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, v. 227, p. 108735, mar. 2026.
COSTA, J. L. G. et al. Life cycle assessment of the production of an extruded dog food in Brazil. Journal of Cleaner Production, v. 458, p. 142505, 6 maio de 2024.
COWAN, N. et al. A global assessment of nitrogen and phosphorus generated in the waste streams of domesticated cats and dogs. Sustainable Environment, v. 10, n. 1, 15 out. 2024.
FEDIAF. Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCRs) Prepared Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. Bruxelas: European Commission, 2025.
KIM, H. S.; et al. Evaluation of soybean ingredients in pet foods applications: systematic review. Animals, Basel, v. 14, n. 1, p. 16, 2024. DOI: 10.3390/ani14010016. 
MAGALHÃES, G. Nutrition applied to pet food: protein co-products. Ingredients & Nutrients Magazine, São Paulo, 28 Aug. 2025.
MULLEN, A. M.; et al. Alternative uses for co-products: harnessing the potential of valuable compounds from meat processing chains. Meat Science, v. 132, p. 90–98, 2017.
PEDRINELLI, V.; et al. Environmental impact of diets for dogs and cats. Scientific Reports, v. 12, n. 1, p. 18510, 2022.
SANTOS, L. N. A. et al. A therapeutic gastrointestinal diet improves nutrient digestibility and modulates fecal microbiota and metabolites in dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research, p. 1–10, 22 dez. 2025. 
SWANSON, K. S.; et al. Nutritional sustainability of pet foods. Advances in Nutrition, Rockville, v. 4, n. 2, p. 141–150, 2013.
TRAN, Q. D.; HENDRIKS, W. H.; VAN DER POEL, A. F. Effects of extrusion processing on nutrients in dry pet food. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, v. 88, n. 9, p. 1487–1493, 2008.
VASCONCELLOS, R. S.; HENRÍQUEZ, L. B. F.; LOURENÇO, P. S. Spray-Dried Animal Plasma as a Multifaceted Ingredient in Pet Food. Animals, v. 13, n. 11, p. 1773, 2023. DOI: 10.3390/ani13111773. 
YAVOR, K. M.; LEHMANN, A.; FINKBEINER, M. Environmental Impacts of a Pet Dog: An LCA Case Study. Sustainability, v. 12, n. 8, p. 3394, 22 abr. 2020.

By Josiane Volpato

30/09/2026

Think Globally, Formulate Regionally: The Sustainable Future of Pet Nutrition

In the pet food sector, this transformation is also underway. However, unlike what occurs in some segments of food for human consumption, the demand for more sustainable practices is still driven mainly by the production chain itself. Major pet food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and multinational companies are looking for ways to measure and reduce environmental impacts, anticipating regulatory requirements and meeting increasingly rigorous corporate commitments.

In this context, the carbon footprint has become one of the most used metrics for assessing the sustainability of production systems. Although its importance is undeniable, limiting the discussion to a single metric can lead to simplistic conclusions about a topic that is, by nature, multidimensional.

Experience in animal production shows that the most sustainable systems are those that use resources more efficiently. Producing more with less, reducing losses, and maximizing the use of available inputs are strategies that often generate economic and environmental benefits simultaneously.

Applying this concept to pet nutrition, the most important question may not be which ingredients have the lowest carbon footprint, but rather how to formulate foods that deliver greater nutritional value, quality, and efficiency while making the best use of the available resources.
The Limits of One-Size-Fits-All Solutions
The pet market is increasingly globalized. New ingredients, technologies, and concepts emerge in different regions of the world and quickly become part of technical discussions in several countries.

This movement is positive and drives innovation. However, it also comes with a risk: assuming that a solution developed for a given reality will automatically be sustainable in any context.

Technology that generates excellent regional results may not have the same benefits when applied in markets with different production, logistical, and economic conditions. Likewise, ingredients considered a trend in certain countries may not represent the most efficient alternative for all production chains.

Thinking globally means keeping up with advances in science, understanding international trends, and knowing the tools available. Formulating regionally means applying that knowledge strategically, considering each operation's reality, raw material availability, logistics structure, industrial capacity, and nutritional objectives of each product.
Formulation Efficiency as an Indicator of Sustainability
For many years, sustainability was primarily associated with the origin of ingredients. Today, a broader perspective shows that formulation efficiency can be an equally relevant indicator.

A sustainable diet is not only one composed of ingredients with the lowest theoretical environmental impact—it is the one that efficiently transforms resources into nutrition. The contribution to the system tends to be greater when food has more nutritional value per unit of resources consumed.

From this perspective, nutritional quality and sustainability are no longer independent concepts and start to go hand in hand.
The Strategic Role of Ingredients
Sustainability often leads to discussions about the use of local versus imported ingredients.  In practice, however, the issue is more complex.

The geographical origin of raw material is just one of the factors involved in assessing its contribution to sustainability.

Locally produced ingredients can reduce logistical steps and strengthen regional supply chains. On the other hand, ingredients developed in other regions can offer significant gains in performance, nutritional efficiency, or quality, offsetting impacts associated with transportation.

The key issue is not necessarily where the ingredient is produced but the value that it delivers to the system.

A sustainable formulation is built through the careful evaluation of the technical cost-benefit of each ingredient, considering its effective contribution to the final quality, its availability, consistency, and its impact on the overall efficiency of the diet.
Additives: From Trend to Result
The same logic applies to nutritional and technological additives.

The market frequently follows global trends that drive the adoption of certain ingredients or solutions. In many cases, these technologies have real benefits and represent important advances for the industry.

However, sustainability should not be confused with simply following industry trends. The strategic use of additives must be based on measurable results.

Additives that increase digestibility, improve oxidative stability, reduce losses during processing, extend product shelf life, or allow better use of available ingredients can directly contribute to the system's efficiency.

In this scenario, the most sustainable additive is not necessarily the newest, the most popular, or the one with the greatest marketing appeal. It is the one capable of generating real efficiency gains for formulation and the production process. Sustainability built on concrete results tends to be more lasting than that based only on market trends.
Lessons from the Latin American Pet Food Industry
The history of the pet industry in Latin America itself offers important examples of this logic.

Several companies that today occupy a prominent position in the market originated from established production chains linked to grain processing, animal protein rendering, agro-industrial cooperatives, or food industries.

By identifying opportunities to value available resources, these companies transformed previously underutilized surpluses, by-products, and raw materials into high-value-added ingredients for dog and cat food.

This movement has not only contributed to the expansion of the pet sector but has also created concrete examples of the circular economy applied to industrial practice.

More than a cost reduction strategy, the intelligent use of resources has demonstrated that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand when there is technical knowledge and long-term vision.
The Future Will Be Driven by Technical Expertise
The pressure for environmental metrics will continue to grow in the coming years. Indicators related to carbon footprint, water consumption, energy efficiency, and traceability should be prioritized in corporate and regulatory decisions.

For formulators, nutritionists, and professionals in the pet industry, the main challenge will remain the same: to develop foods that provide greater value by using available resources as efficiently as possible.

In this scenario, sustainability will no longer be just a characteristic related to certain ingredients. It will become the result of the quality of technical decisions made throughout the chain.

Thinking globally will remain the key to being up to date with the evolution of science and technology. Formulating regionally will be essential to turn this knowledge into viable, efficient solutions aligned with the reality of each market. By Ludmila Bomcompagni – All Pet Food
Source: All Pet Food Magazine

By Ludmila Barbi T. Bomcompagni

01/07/2026

Raw Materials and Real Value in Pet Food

This shift in perspective is redefining how pet food is designed, formulated, and communicated. Advances in nutritional science, technological development, and a deeper understanding of canine and feline physiology have driven a more precise approach: animals do not require specific ingredients, but rather essential nutrients in adequate amounts and with high bioavailability.

Raw materials remain fundamental—they are the starting point in the production of balanced diets. Their quality, digestibility, safety, and stability directly influence the final product. However, evaluating a diet solely based on the origin of its ingredients may lead to incomplete interpretations. Two diets formulated with different raw materials can deliver equivalent nutritional profiles. In other words, raw materials are the vehicle, while nutrients are the target.

This concept becomes particularly relevant when analyzing micronutrients, where chemical origin and molecular form can significantly influence absorption and metabolic utilization.

The 'real value' of a pet food product can be understood as its ability to meet the animal's physiological requirements efficiently, safely, and consistently. An ingredient that appears attractive on the label may not deliver optimal nutritional performance if its digestibility is low or if its nutrients are not bioavailable. On the contrary, less 'marketable' ingredients may provide highly digestible proteins, essential amino acids, or key micronutrients.

Modern nutritional evaluation is increasingly focused on what the animal actually absorbs and utilizes, rather than what is simply listed in the formulation. Dogs and cats require a specific combination of essential nutrients to support normal metabolic function, growth, tissue maintenance, reproduction, and immune function—such as essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and trace minerals.

Regulatory bodies such as the Association of American Feed Control Officials and the European Pet Food Industry Federation establish nutritional profiles that serve as benchmarks to ensure pet food products meet the physiological needs of dogs and cats at all life stages.

Trace minerals—including zinc, copper, iron, manganese, selenium, and iodine—play critical roles in enzymatic activity, tissue formation, energy metabolism, immune function, skin and coat health, and antioxidant processes. Although required in relatively small amounts, both deficiency and excess can have significant physiological consequences. For this reason, the type of mineral source used in formulation can directly influence the real nutritional value of the product.

Historically, the feed industry has relied on inorganic minerals as sources of trace elements, including forms such as sulfates, oxides, and carbonates. Sulfates, for example, have been widely used due to their availability and relatively low cost. However, advances in nutritional research have shown that some of these forms present limitations in bioavailability or may interact with other dietary components. Within the gastrointestinal environment, inorganic minerals can dissociate easily and participate in reactions that reduce their absorption or create antagonisms with other nutrients. These interactions may affect the overall nutritional efficiency of the diet and even influence the stability of sensitive ingredients, such as vitamins or lipids.

In response to these limitations, the industry has developed organic minerals, also known as chelated minerals or mineral complexes. In these forms, the mineral is bound to an organic molecule (often amino acids or peptides), which may facilitate its transport and absorption in the digestive tract. The concept behind these sources is that minerals can be absorbed through transport mechanisms associated with organic nutrients, reducing competition with other minerals and improving bioavailability. The most commonly used forms include bis-chelated minerals, amino acid chelates, protein-mineral complexes, peptide-bound minerals, and organic selenium derived from yeast.

Several studies have demosntrated that these sources can improve mineral retention and reduce excretion compared to some inorganic forms under certain conditions. The use of trace elements in organic forms has been associated with potential benefits in animal nutrition, including enhanced bioavailability and reduced interaction with other nutrients. Organic minerals may also be less reactive within the feed matrix or in the digestive tract. Lower chemical reactivity can help preserve sensitive nutrients during processing and storage. In addition, improved absorption efficiency may reduce mineral excretion, contributing to more sustainable nutrition strategies.

It is important to note that the performance of these sources depends on multiple factors, including the type of mineral complex, the overall diet formulation, and the animal's physiological condition.

The transition from inorganic to organic minerals clearly illustrates the paradigm shift currently shaping pet nutrition: moving from an ingredient-focused approach to one centered on nutrients and bioavailability. In this context, modern formulation aims to optimize not only nutrient inclusion but also how those nutrients are delivered to the organism. Raw materials remain essential, but their value is increasingly assessed based on their actual contribution to the nutritional profile of the diet. This approach also enables the development of more precise diets tailored to different life stages, breed sizes, and specific physiological conditions.

As nutritional science continues to advance, pet food development is likely to move further toward precision nutrition strategies, where ingredient selection, nutrient chemical form, and processing technologies work together to maximize nutritional efficiency. In this scenario, the concept of 'real value' will continue to gain relevance. Beyond marketing trends or consumer perception, the true indicator of product quality will be its ability to deliver essential nutrients in a bioavailable, safe, and consistent manner. The transition toward more advanced mineral sources, such as organic trace elements, represents just one example of how the industry is integrating science, technology, and nutrition to improve pet well-being.
Conclusion
Ultimately, understanding that animals require nutrients, not specific ingredients, enables the development of more efficient, sustainable formulations aligned with the principles of modern nutrition. By MVZ Armando Enriquez de la Fuente Blanquet
Source: All Pet Food Magazine

By Armando Enriquez de la Fuente Blanquet

27/10/2026

Still Going Strong After 28 Years: Why Reliability Matters in Grain Sampling

One such story comes from Argentina, where a customer continues to operate a Samplex CS90 bulk grain sampler that was installed an incredible 28 years ago! Despite nearly three decades of service, the machine remains a critical part of the site's grain intake operation, delivering representative samples day after day with the same dependable performance that first earned the customer's trust.   Built to Last   The Samplex CS90 has spent almost three decades working in a challenging environment where dependable operation is essential. Accurate sampling forms the foundation of grain quality assessment, helping operators make informed decisions on grading, storage, processing, and trading.
 
For this Argentinian customer, the sampler has become far more than a piece of equipment. It is a trusted part of the operation. In a location where replacement parts, technical support, and service visits can be difficult to access at short notice, reliability is paramount.
  The fact that the CS90 continues to perform after 28 years is a testament to the robust engineering principles that have always defined Samplex equipment.   Outstanding Value for Money
When evaluating capital equipment, purchase price is only one part of the story. True value is measured over the entire life of the machine.
  Over nearly three decades of operation, this customer's Samplex CS90 has continued to provide accurate and representative grain sampling while requiring only routine maintenance. The result is an exceptionally low cost of ownership spread across thousands of operating hours and countless grain deliveries.
  The customer describes the machine as one of the best investments made at the facility, highlighting not only its longevity but also the confidence it provides during daily intake operations. Knowing that every incoming load can be sampled consistently and accurately helps maintain quality standards and supports fair commercial transactions.

    Reliability Where It Matters Most
In isolated locations, equipment must be capable of doing its job without constant attention. The Samplex  CS90's continued operation demonstrates the importance of robust design, durable construction, and proven technology.
  For grain handlers, merchants, processors, and storage operators, representative sampling remains one of the most important steps in the grain supply chain. Even after 28 years, this Samplex CS90 continues to provide the dependable performance needed to support these critical decisions.

 
  A Proud Example of Engineering Longevity
In an age when many machines are replaced long before they reach such an impressive age, this Argentinian installation stands as a remarkable example of product longevity and customer satisfaction.
  The continued success of this Samplex CS90 is proof that investing in quality equipment pays dividends for decades. More importantly, it demonstrates the trust customers place in machinery that simply keeps working year after year.
  As this customer in Argentina will happily attest, when reliability, accuracy, and long-term value matter most, a well-built Samplex sampler can remain an indispensable part of a grain operation for generations. Source: Tekpro

11/09/2026

TEKPRO to Attend CIPAL 2026 in Buenos Aires for the First Time  

As the pet food sector continues to grow and evolve, manufacturers are increasingly focused on improving product quality, process efficiency, traceability, and food safety. These priorities align closely with TEKPRO's mission of providing reliable testing and sampling solutions that help businesses maintain the highest production standards.   Supporting Quality Throughout the Production Chain
At TEKPRO, we understand that accurate sampling and dependable quality control testing are essential components of successful feed and pet food production. Our portfolio includes the renowned Samplex® bulk sampling systems, designed to deliver representative samples from bulk ingredients, grains, powders, and finished products, helping manufacturers make confident decisions based on accurate data. 
  Alongside our sampling solutions, TEKPRO's range of pellet durability testing equipment helps producers monitor pellet quality and optimize production performance, ensuring consistency from the production line to the end customer.    Building Connections Across Latin America
CIPAL has established itself as one of the leading gatherings for the pet food industry in Latin America, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, technical specialists, and decision-makers from across the region. The event provides an ideal opportunity to discuss emerging trends, operational challenges, technological advancements, and future opportunities within the sector. 
  Our attendance reflects TEKPRO's ongoing commitment to supporting customers around the world and strengthening relationships within key international markets. We are particularly excited to engage with pet food producers throughout Latin America and learn more about the unique requirements and opportunities within this dynamic industry.
  Let's Meet at CIPAL 2026!
If you are attending CIPAL 2026 in Buenos Aires, we would be delighted to connect. Whether you are seeking solutions for bulk ingredient sampling, quality control testing, feed and pet food production efficiency, or simply want to learn more about TEKPRO's technologies, our team will be available for discussion throughout the event.
  We look forward to meeting industry professionals, sharing expertise, and exploring how TEKPRO can help support the continued growth and success of the pet food sector across Latin America.
  See you in Buenos Aires this September! Source: TEKPRO

26/06/2026

World Leading Petfood manufacturer chooses Samplex CS90 for Chinese Feed Factory.  

The Samplex CS90 is a versatile and efficient device that can sample a variety of products, such as grains, oilseeds, powders and pulses, and pellets. It is used in high throughput facilities worldwide, such as ports, terminals, mills and silos.
  The Samplex CS90 will help them to ensure the quality and safety of their pet food products, as well as to meet the ISO 24333:2009 (E) standards for sampling.
  The Samplex CS90 has a patented spear design that ensures product enters the spear under gravity, providing a truly representative sample, which is vital for quality testing.
  Mars Petcare is the leading pet food company in the world, with annual revenue of USD 37 billion. It owns several well-known brands, such as Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin, and Iams. The company operates in more than 80 countries and employs over 85,000 people.
  China is one of its key markets, and it is committed to providing high-quality and nutritious pet food to Chinese consumers.
  They are investing in innovation and sustainability to meet the changing needs and preferences of pet owners.
  The Samplex CS90 truck probe is exclusively manufactured in the UK by TekPro Ltd., a company that specializes in sampling and insect detection systems for the agricultural industry. The company has been in business since 1989 and has exported its products to in excess of 60 countries around the world


For more information about Samplex CS90 truck probes or other products from TEKPRO, visit their website at www.tekpro.com or contact them by email at info@tekpro.com. Source: Tekpro

04/12/2023

Countdown to Pet Food Conveyor Launch: Starting Up On Time and With Confidence

To move delicate pet food products or powders, most processors do extensive homework before purchasing a tubular drag cable conveyor to ensure that it meets their needs in terms of function and price. After the purchase, the conveyor must be expertly assembled and tested to ensure smooth production startup and continued performance. The challenge is that the typical third-party contractors installing various plant systems might need to become more familiar with specialized pet food conveyors and, thus, are more prone to make costly errors. A more prudent choice is using the OEM's team of experienced technicians. The OEM's experts have the advantage of designing the specialized conveyor and understanding its installation, operational requirements, and potential problem areas. 'If a tubular drag cable conveyor is installed incorrectly by a third party, it often needs to be completely pulled apart and rebuilt, which is costly and time-consuming. If the conveyor is run incorrectly, damage will occur, and components must be replaced. All this only delays startup,' says Terry Derby, Director of Parts and Field Service for Automated Handling Solutions (AHS). AHS is the service-focused subsidiary of Cablevey Conveyors, an Oskaloosa, Iowa-based conveyor manufacturer that has been designing, engineering, and servicing enclosed cable and disc tube conveyors for 50 years and is in more than 65 countries. As a solution, pet food processors seeking superior conveyor performance from the start rely on expert-supervised installation and commissioning to ensure they will be ready to run products on time, at the necessary volumes. Today, a tubular drag cable conveyor requires considerable expertise to install. These systems gently move material through a sealed tube using a coated, flexible, stainless-steel drag cable pulled through on a loop. Solid circular discs (flights) attach to the cable, pushing the product through the tube without air.  'This type of conveyor is uniquely engineered to transport delicate materials gently. The tubes form a continuous loop that must be carefully assembled for a tight fit to ensure no misalignment or gaps between sections. While the modular components lend great flexibility to system design, each component must act in concert with the rest for proper conveyor functionality,' explains Derby. After selecting and purchasing a conveyor, the pet food processor's next step is installing it, which often requires professional assistance. Reliability Starts with Supervised Installation Whether relying on internal staff members for installation or contracting the job to an outside team of millwrights or skilled pipefitters, supervised conveyor installation can ensure proper system installation. Getting expert assistance is still essential during installation, even with the manual that has detailed instructions and QR-code links to videos for each conveyor component. 'Supervised installation is important to ensure that your system is installed properly so you don't run into maintenance problems due to an improper install,' says Derby. Derby insists that 'supervised installs are probably the most important support service we offer.' This step is often neglected when a less experienced third party performs the installation, which can escalate costs. At this point, AHS is frequently asked to complete final preparations and correct any problems before production startup, a process known as commissioning.  'When a processor brings us to their facility after declining a supervised installation, we often have to work backward for a day or two to correct issues. Having us there for supervised installation eliminates the need for correction and any idle contractors waiting on us for the repair, so it pays for itself,' says Derby. In the case of AHS, the company's technicians have logged hundreds, if not thousands, of hours on-site in various manufacturing facilities worldwide. This singular focus gives them the knowledge and expertise to streamline the installation process and prevent issues that can lead to system inefficiencies, product loss, or complete system failure. As part of the supervised installation, skilled technicians ensure the correct positioning of the conveyor's hangers and the proper torque for couplings. The system is properly cleaned to remove any metal fragments or foreign contaminants introduced during installation. In addition, the technician confirms that all conveyor inlets are in place and that all discharges are functioning. Even seemingly minor gaps or misaligned areas in the conveyor tubing can become a severe issue. 'If gaps are in the conveyor's tubes, the discs will 'catch' when crossing the joint, causing excessive wear on the cable and motor. If not corrected, this could lead to premature failure, production downtime, and added repair and replacement costs,' says Derby. According to Derby, another common wear item in tubular drag cable conveyors is sweeps, areas where the tube changes direction. He explains that sweeps are where the cable is under the most significant tension and where the discs rub inside the tube. Since sweeps show the first signs of wear, proper installation can reduce the wear and significantly prolong tube and cable life, simplifying maintenance. 'With a supervised install, processors can ensure that their conveyor is assembled correctly to enable seamless startup, reliable production, optimal output, and greater longevity for the system and its parts. Our reputation is on the line to get it right from the start,' says Derby. In addition, a supervised installation includes a full report outlining actions to correct any issues found. Due to the attention to detail, a supervised installation also preserves the standard warranty for the system's components. Of course, operators also play a critical role in conveyor performance. For this reason, having experts onsite can be one of the best ways to train the operators and maintenance crew on properly running, cleaning, and maintaining the system.    Reliable Production Requires Expert Commissioning When the installation is complete, the next step is to schedule commissioning. The average commissioning visit for a single-system installation usually lasts an entire day.  The onsite commissioning process readies the conveyor for total production and identifies any immediately correctable issues to keep the startup on schedule. At this point, the system must be installed entirely, including all mechanical and electrical components. The conveyor material must also be ready for introduction to the system. This is where a botched installation by a third party can come to light without supervised installation by the OEM. 'We are often asked to 'fix' poor installations by third-party contractors. We have had to tear whole systems apart. This frequently requires a complete rebuild and replacement of damaged parts, which adds cost, creates downtime, and delays startup,' says Derby. In the case of AHS's commissioning service, the technician conducts an inspection using a camera that runs through the entire system layout to ensure that everything is correctly assembled and ready for testing. The technician then performs a test run of the product, from the inlet feed through the sweeps to the discharge outlet, and verifies that it flows at the desired speed. 'Tailoring the conveyor to the material conveyed can require adjustments to fine-tune the process. With the commissioning, the goal is to increase efficiency, production volume, and reliability,' says Derby. He adds that 'checking the system's health' also uncovers any issues that might arise, which technicians can address to prevent production downtime. He points out that commissioning also extends Cablevey's standard warranty. As a final step in the commissioning process, the technician issues a report for the processor that documents all findings from the full-system inspection. Completing conveyor installation, commissioning, and start-up is only the start of the OEM's and processor's relationship since the system's lifespan can be decades. In addition to traveling on-site for emergency service calls, the company offers an annual service visit to conduct a detailed system inspection and address any issues, identify worn parts, ensure predictive maintenance is being conducted, and provide any additional training needed. This complete system audit aims to extend the conveyor's lifespan and prevent unexpected downtime. 'Our mission is to provide conveying equipment and ensure it performs as required, with minimal downtime and maintenance. Once a pet food processor buys a system, they become part of our family. We will continue to support them every way we can, even as their needs evolve,' concludes Derby. By Del Williams is a technical writer based in Torrance, California. Source All Pet Food

27/11/2023

Mobile 'Smart Cart' Automates Food Conveyor CIP for Pet Food Manufacturers

To promote food safety and sanitary compliance, pet food manufacturers are increasingly seeking the ability to clean-in-place (CIP), an automated method of cleaning the interior surfaces of tubular drag conveyors without disassembly. Now, with the advent of mobile tools like an innovative 'smart cart' that quick-connects to any tubular conveyor and enables simple, customizable 'single button cleaning recipes,' CIP is becoming easier, faster, less labor-intensive, more repeatable, and almost fully automated. Tubular drag conveyor systems gently move product through a sealed, enclosed tube using a drag cable and circular discs pulled through on a loop, so they are ideal for delicate items. Designed to handle a variety of different forms and sizes, from kibble to seeds or pellets and nutrients, tubular conveyors maintain both quality and proper proportions. In a wet CIP process, the system is flooded with water, flushed, rinsed, cleansed, and thoroughly sanitized. Although the process is very effective, streamlining its automation and simplifying the process for all a facility's tubular drag conveyors has been a priority for leading innovators in the industry. 'The standard system required port hookups to water lines and installing piping. The processor also had to make decisions, such as which water temperatures to utilize, or whether to use a cleaning solvent - and the correct amount to add manually,' says John Adair, Engineering and Quality Director for Cablevey Conveyors, an Oskaloosa, Iowa-based conveyor manufacturer that has designed, engineered, and serviced enclosed cable and disc tube conveyors for 50 years, and is in more than 65 countries. To simplify the wet cleaning process, Adair and his engineering team at Cablevey have developed a small, mobile 'smart cart' with integrated water line hookups that a single technician can easily take to any tubular drag conveyor in a facility. The cart is specifically designed to be a fraction of the size of similar carts on the market to facilitate mobility. When the cart is in position and connected to water lines, the CIP process is automated and controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC) that reduces the need for manual labor and virtually eliminates the risk of improper cleaning. 'Once it is set up, all you do is press a button, and it will bring in the required amount of water at the correct temperature with the necessary amount of solvent for cleaning,' says Adair. The smart cart is designed to store and utilize pre-programmed CIP recipes to flush various residual materials from the tubular drag cable conveyors in a facility before new production runs. The cleaning recipes enable even those with very little training to use the cart, which is helpful in today's tight labor market and allows the technician to move on to other tasks once the cleaning process begins. The use of easily executable recipes ensures a superior, repeatable clean that essentially 'error-proofs' the process. This is particularly important when the technician may be new or less familiar with the production equipment. 'Depending on the product conveyed, sometimes all you need is a wet rinse or a specific cleaning solvent. All that information is saved, so after the first cleaning, it can be automatically repeated. Just push a button to start the appropriate recipe, whether you have one conveyor running multiple products or dozens of conveyors running various products,' says Adair. To meet strict compliance standards, the smart cart also documents all critical CIP information, such as water volume and temperature, chemicals used, and cleaning time by date, in an easily retrievable data log. Since decreasing production downtime between conveyor cleanings is a priority for pet food manufacturers, Cablevey provides new capabilities with the cart that expedites the CIP process. Currently, the CIP process floods the tubular conveyor system but is not designed to clean the discs specifically. 'Operators would manually clean each disc and advance the system disc by disc when the discs had to be cleaned of particularly viscous substances,' says Adair.   Once it is set up, all you do is press a button and it will bring in the required amount of water at the correct temperature with the necessary amount of solvent for cleaning.   Now, as an option on the cart, a disc washer can be integrated with the conveyor turnaround to spray a pressurized cleansing solution on the discs. This helps to remove stickier substances that could remain after routine CIP cleaning. 'The disc washer sprays high-pressure water directly on the discs, so it acts like an automatic car wash. At the push of a button, the discs and cable are run through, and spray cleaned, which reduces CIP time and eliminates the need to manually clean the discs,' says Adair. To further reduce downtime, Cablevey also offers a new sanitary blower option. 'After the wet CIP process, a sanitary blower attachment on the smart cart can dry the discs and other parts of the system 75% faster than typical air drying,' says Adair. He points out that the faster the conveyor is cleaned and dried after a product change, the sooner it can be put back into service, which improves profitability. According to Adair, Cablevey's Mobile Smart Cart was already available since it was officially unveiled at Pack Expo, a premier packaging and processing show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in September. The event featured full-scale setups of machinery in action. The company also offered traveling demo smart cars to customers in September for free so clients could test drive the units. Pet food manufacturers can now purchase the demonstration unit used in their facilities, with hands-on training available immediately. While the pet food manufacturing industry is aware that automated CIP can improve conveyor system production uptime, barriers to implementation have slowed adoption. Utilizing a mobile smart cart with integrated water hookups will help manufacturers easily implement CIP in tubular drag conveyors throughout their facilities: expediting conveyor cleaning, production changeover, and sanitary compliance. By: Del Williams - Technical writer based in Torrance - California Source: All Pet Food Magazine

29/08/2023

New German test facility allows processors to try solutions before they buy

These systems come as an investment, making it crucial for manufacturers to understand what they're buying before pulling out the company credit card. This is where OEM test facilities come into play, which offer processors the opportunity to try before they buy, often supported by the expertise of seasoned process engineers and salespeople who represent the supplier and its solutions. Testing, testing According to Emmanual Ricohermoso III, Ph.D., testing and facility manager at Automated Handling Solutions (AHS) Germany GmbH, parent company of Cablevey, testing equipment before making a purchase is a progressive approach that can optimize design and material selection for durability, efficiency and environmental impact. 'From the client's perspective, conducting product testing offers them the valuable opportunity to experience the device firsthand before making a purchase commitment,' Ricohermoso added. 'It allows them to assess the device's performance, functionalities and suitability for their specific needs without the obligation of buying it outright. Additionally, during the testing phase, clients can engage directly with our knowledgeable team, leveraging their technical expertise to address any questions or concerns they may have. 'This interactive experience fosters better communication and understanding between our team and the clients,' he added. 'Ultimately, seeing the device in action reinforces the clients' belief and confidence in its capabilities, validating the effectiveness of the solution being offered, or simply, 'to see is to believe.'' The company's 645-square-meter (6,942-square-foot) testing facility is centered around a test workshop equipped with product transfer systems from brands that fall under the AHS and Advanced Material Processing (AMP) umbrella, including Cablevey, Spiroflow, Kason and Marion. The test workshop itself accounts for 71% of the total space. According to Ricohermoso, the German test facility was designed to not only enable testing of conveyors and material transfer systems from point A to point B, but to also integrate relevant processing steps including bag conditioning, bulk bag discharging and filling, dewatering, sieving, mixing and drying. 'Additionally, the test facility boasts a cutting-edge, in-house laboratory dedicated to material characterization,' he noted. 'This enables our engineers to gain a deep understanding of the material properties, allowing them to design tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of our customers. The Friedrichsdorf test facility is now up and running and saw its first customer in early May 2023. Ben Ayrton, managing director and vice president of operations and supply chain for AHS and AMP in Europe, noted that the facility is now fully operational and offers more than 50 products for customer trials and testing across all four brands.  'We are immensely proud to have the most comprehensive testing facility in Continental Europe,' Ayrton said. 'Our expansion and future is exciting, as in addition we are looking forward to introducing a brand new 5,500 m square production facility in the UK in the first half of 2024.' The Friedrichsdorf facility will serve multiple AHS and AMP brands for testing, spare parts, European engineering and sales, as well as aftermarket spare parts and maintenance teams. Prioritizing positive client experiences Understanding why clients want to test or compare equipment performance is the No. 1 consideration when developing a test plan. For example, Ricohermoso said one of the main focuses for today's pet food processors is throughput. Once he has a better idea of a client's priorities, Ricohermoso requests a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to better understand the handing requirements and potential risks related to the product or material in question. He also asks for cleaning, process flow integration, and tolerance information to create a comprehensive test plan for the client. 'If the client's primary objective is to observe the operation without specific test requirements, I take the initiative to design the test plan myself,' Ricohermoso said. 'The clients are then given time to review the plan internally and communicate any concerns they may have. 'By following this streamlined process, we ensure that the test day runs smoothly, with clear communication and alignment between our team and the clients.' Leaning on OEM expertise Cablevey operates in more than 66 countries and has delivered its solutions for the food, pet food, coffee, powder, nut and frozen food industries for over 50 years. Such equipment includes enclosed cable and disc tube conveyors. 'Cablevey provides a gentle conveying solution, making it particularly suitable for products that are sensitive and have low tolerance for breakage,' Ricohermoso said. 'Its unique conveying method ensures that fragile products can be transported without compromising their integrity or quality.' At Cablevey's stateside test facility — which is located in Oskaloosa, Iowa — the company recently launched a 360-degree immersive experience enabling virtual visits in real time. A Zoom-meeting format developed during the COVID-19 pandemic now allows Cablevey to showcase test runs of its machinery in-person and online simultaneously, which provides convenience for those unable to travel or larger work groups, according to the company. Ricohermoso noted the company plans to add this capability to the German test facility over the next few months.  

03/11/2026

From Manual Packaging to Automation: Why Now Is the Right Time to Make the Change  

Manual packaging processes are still part of everyday operations in many manufacturing facilities. For years, they have reliably met production requirements and supported daily operations. However, increasing production volumes, ongoing labor shortages and growing quality expectations are creating new challenges for manufacturers. What was once an effective solution is now often becoming a bottleneck that limits the performance of an entire production process.
  Today, the challenge is no longer simply to package products safely. Instead, the focus is on making the entire packaging process efficient, repeatable and cost-effective. Manual operations are often dependent on the availability and experience of individual employees. Differences in working methods, physical strain or staffing shortages can directly affect packaging quality, production speed and ultimately overall productivity.
  Automated packaging systems provide standardized processes that deliver consistently high performance, regardless of shift patterns or workforce availability. From weighing and filling to bag closing and palletizing, every process step is seamlessly integrated. This results in smooth production workflows with fewer interruptions, greater process reliability and consistently high packaging quality.
  The benefits become particularly evident when it comes to productivity. Modern, fully automated packaging systems achieve significantly higher output than manual operations while maintaining this performance consistently throughout extended production runs. At the same time, employees are relieved of physically demanding and repetitive tasks. Instead of spending valuable time on monotonous packaging work, they can focus on activities that add greater value to the business, such as quality control, equipment monitoring or process optimization.
  Automation also delivers significant improvements in workplace safety. Regular lifting, carrying and handling of heavy bags or containers places considerable strain on the musculoskeletal system and increases the risk of workplace injuries. In particular, handling heavy bags often pushes manual operations to their practical limits. Automated packaging solutions take over these physically demanding tasks, creating safer and more ergonomic working environments.
  Another key advantage is consistent product quality. Precise weighing and filling systems ensure accurate fill weights and repeatable packaging results. This reduces product giveaway, minimizes waste and helps prevent customer complaints. At the same time, stable packaging units and pallet loads are created that reliably withstand the demands of modern logistics and transportation processes.
  In addition to productivity and quality, sustainability has become an increasingly important factor. Modern packaging systems—such as those developed by STATEC BINDER—are designed for energy-efficient operation and consume less electricity, compressed air and packaging material compared to conventional machines. Reduced waste, lower resource consumption and optimized processes not only decrease operating costs but also make an important contribution to more sustainable and consistent production.
    Automation also provides a high level of future readiness. Production requirements continue to evolve, whether due to increasing output volumes, new products or changing market conditions. Automated packaging solutions offer the flexibility needed to expand production capacity or integrate new requirements efficiently without fundamentally redesigning existing processes.
  Transitioning from manual to automated packaging is therefore far more than an investment in new machinery. It is an investment in greater efficiency, higher quality, improved working conditions and long-term competitiveness. By modernizing their packaging operations, manufacturers create the foundation for a future-ready production environment that can sustainably meet the growing demands of the market. Source: Statec Binder

01/09/2026

Circularity Without Compromising Performance: Engineering Solutions for Flexible Pet Food Packaging

Far from being competing objectives, circularity and performance can reinforce one another when packaging is analyzed as an integrated functional system, designed to meet specific technical requirements throughout the value chain, from packaging to final consumption.
Circularity Does Not Mean Substitution: It Is Redesign
When discussing circularity in flexible packaging, several strategies are often mentioned: downgauging, weight reduction, incorporation of recycled content, migration toward mono-material structures, implementation of more efficient processes, and waste reduction initiatives. While all of these are valuable tools, they are insufficient when applied in isolation.

Every component within a flexible package serves one or more specific technical functions. Consequently, any structural modification has technical implications that must be analyzed and addressed. The most common mistake is attempting to simplify a package without understanding why it was designed that way in the first place.

In the pet food segment, where products present unique challenges related to stability, logistics, and consumer use, this approach becomes particularly critical. Pet food—especially dry formulations with high fat content—is highly sensitive to oxidation, moisture uptake, and aroma loss, all of which directly impact the consumer's acceptance.
The Starting Point: Understanding Packaging's Technical Function 
Every effective redesign begins with a deep understanding of the package's primary function. In pet food applications, packaging plays a fundamental role in preserving product quality, shelf life, and user experience.

Its key technical functions include:
  Oxygen barrier: Essential for preventing fat oxidation and preserving palatability. 
  Water vapor barrier: Necessary to avoid caking, nutritional degradation, and microbial growth. 
  Mechanical resistance: Required to withstand impacts, stacking loads, and intensive logistics handling. 
  Seal integrity: Critical to ensuring hermetic protection throughout the product's shelf life. 
  Consumer functionality: Including controlled opening features and resealable systems that help reduce product waste. 
Packaging performance does not depend on a single material but rather on the balance among all of these functions. This is precisely where technological innovation plays a decisive role.
Product Protection: New Architectures for Long-Standing Challenges
Regarding barrier and product protection, advances in coextrusion technologies have enabled the development of polyethylene-based structures with enhanced functional properties that significantly reduce grease migration, oxygen transmission, and aroma exchange. These solutions rely on multilayer architectures in which different resins perform specific functions within the structure.

Incorporating barrier copolymers such as EVOH, even at relatively low concentrations, allows manufacturers to achieve protection levels comparable to those of traditional multi-material structures. Historically, materials, such as BOPET and BOPA, have been used to provide rigidity and barrier performance, but they require lamination with polyethylene to deliver sealability and mechanical strength. While technically effective, these combinations present significant challenges for recycling.

Multilayer polyethylene structures can now integrate barrier performance, mechanical strength, sealing properties, optical characteristics, and processability within a single system, advancing toward mono-material configurations that are more compatible with mechanical recycling streams and with the design-for-circularity guidelines increasingly adopted by global brands.

Likewise, the development of machine-direction orientation (MDO) processes applied to high-density polyethylene has created the potential to replace traditionally oriented films, such as BOPP, while maintaining adequate stiffness and further improving overall package circularity.
Mechanical Strength and Seal Integrity: Beyond Packaging Thickness 
When discussing sustainability, thickness reduction is often one of the first strategies considered. However, reducing gauge without redesigning the structure is a reliable recipe for failure. In pet food packaging, resistance to tearing, puncture, and deformation is critical to maintaining package integrity throughout its entire life cycle.

The phenomenon known as dimpling—the deformation of the package caused by kibble pressure, particularly in bags located at the bottom of a pallet—requires structures to absorb loads without compromising package integrity or seal performance. These stresses are not always replicated in standard laboratory tests, making it essential to consider real-world storage and distribution conditions.

This requires not only a robust film structure but also reliable seals to withstand demanding stacking, transportation, and handling environments. Furthermore, during storage and distribution, the friction coefficient of the outer surface becomes increasingly important for maintaining stable pallet loads and preventing slippage or pallet collapse.

Multilayer coextruded architectures allow functions to be redistributed among layers, incorporating engineered resins where needed, compensating for gauge reductions, and optimizing costs without sacrificing performance.
Functionality and Waste Reduction
Circularity extends beyond packaging materials—it also encompasses how consumers interact with the package. In this regard, controlled-opening and resealable closure systems play a key role in reducing food waste by helping preserve product quality after opening and extending shelf life in the home.

Today, a variety of front, perimeter, and traditional closure solutions are available, along with easy-open systems designed to enhance the consumer experience without compromising package integrity or recyclability. Integrating these features from the initial design stage, rather than adding them later, is essential for achieving the right balance between usability, technical performance, and sustainability.
Conclusion: Circularity as an Engineering Discipline
In this context, it is essential that packaging redesign decisions be made through a multidisciplinary approach. Industry experience consistently shows that the best results emerge when development, quality, production, procurement, and marketing teams work simultaneously, aligning technical, commercial, and environmental objectives from the earliest stages of a project.

It is equally important to validate proposed changes through technical testing and real-world performance evaluations. Barrier testing, sealability assessments, mechanical resistance analysis, pallet stability studies, and distribution performance trials anticipate deviations and refine designs before industrial implementation. This preventive approach reduces operational risks and avoids unnecessary costs.

Advancing toward more circular packaging solutions in the pet food industry is neither a trend nor a marketing exercise. Above all, it is a technical challenge that requires expertise, sound judgment, and a systemic understanding of packaging. When redesign is approached through engineering—analyzing functions, interactions, and consequences—it becomes possible to develop solutions that effectively protect products, meet logistical requirements, and align with the principles of the circular economy.

The good news is that the necessary technological tools already exist. The real differentiator lies in how they are applied. By Pablo Petinatto, Petropack
Source: All Pet Food Magazine

08/05/2024

Siegwerk’s new coatings enable recyclable monomaterial pet food packaging

Printing ink and coatings leader Siegwerk has announced a breakthrough in sustainable pet food packaging. Partnering with printing machine manufacturer Windmöller & Hölscher and bag-making and machine producer B&B, Siegwerk has developed a fully recyclable monomaterial pouch for dry pet food using its CIRKIT functional coatings. This innovation addresses increasing pressure from EU regulations on packaging circularity.   'New approaches are needed to meet the upcoming regulatory requirements for circular packaging,' said Belal Habib, head of Brand Owner Collaboration at Siegwerk. 'The challenge is to find a recyclable design that also meets the respective performance requirements of the packaging.'   Pet food packaging needs to be food-safe and have specific barrier properties such as grease resistance, in order to maintain freshness and structural integrity. Traditionally, these requirements meant complex, non-recyclable multimaterial structures with metallised layers.   'The problem: they are not recyclable,' added Habib. 'This is where innovative barrier coatings applied in thin layers and inline with regular printing inks can help to switch from an incompatible multimaterial structure to a fully recyclable monomaterial solution in the sense of a circular economy.'   The solution utilises two CIRKIT coatings: CIRKIT GreaseBar: An inline-printable grease barrier coating. CIRKIT HeatGuard: A coating that enhances sealing efficiency and heat resistance on film surfaces, also inline-printable.   These coatings, combined with full polyurethane inks suitable for mechanical recycling, enable the mono-polyethylene bag to achieve the same performance as traditional multimaterial structures while being fully recyclable. Importantly, the inks and coatings are solvent-based, deinkable, and inline-printable without sacrificing print quality.   'Together, we have succeeded in developing an innovation that is circular, delivers on performance and maintains current process efficiencies due to inline and high-speed conversion,' said Habib. 'This shows that, by joining forces, we are in a position to make recyclable monoplastic packaging a reality and thus counter the still wide presence of multimaterial laminated structures with future-oriented flexible packaging solutions made for circularity.'   Siegwerk's expertise spans the entire packaging life cycle, from raw material selection to recycling. This allows it to partner with companies to redesign packaging structures for sustainability according to current guidelines.   Source: Packaging Gateway.

20/08/2026

The Most Underrated Tool In Pet Nutrition

Trace minerals are involved in most health outcomes nutritionists aim to influence and pet parents care deeply about: immune resilience, skin and coat health, antioxidant defense, mobility, cellular function, vitality and whole-body health.

They're not acting in isolation. They work behind the scenes, supporting the biological systems that help every other nutritional strategy perform effectively.

For today's pet food brands, every ingredient must justify its place in the diet — not only the high-inclusion ingredients, the ones with easy consumer stories or the ones that look innovative on paper. Every ingredient. That is where I see an opportunity.

Innovation is not always what comes next, it is expecting more from what is already there.

Because trace minerals are foundational, they can become familiar and often treated as 'already solved', receiving less strategic evaluation than newer or more visible ingredients.

Mineral programs can remain unchanged for years. Familiarity creates comfort. Comfort creates confidence.

Yet, source, structure and delivery influence how effectively a trace mineral supports animal health. When those components are optimized, a mineral moves from simply meeting a requirement to supporting broader formula performance and pets' wellbeing. 

That distinction matters. 

At Zinpro Corporation, we've spent more than five decades studying trace minerals across species, generating research behind our performance minerals. One lesson continues to stand out: biology is remarkably consistent. Cells still require nutrients to function. Tissues still need support to repair and respond. 

In livestock, performance is evaluated through productivity, efficiency, disease resistance, and profitability. In pets, focus shifts to quality of life, longevity, overall well-being and human-animal bond. Outcomes measured may look different, but the underlying mechanisms don't change. 

It is time to start expecting more from what is already there and stop leaving opportunity on the table — for brands, for formulas and for the pets counting on us.  By Allison Millican, PhD
Source: Zinpro Corporation

14/06/2023

What Nutrients are Essential for My Pet?

 Here's a breakdown of all the essential nutrients according to the  Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) that are required for foods to be called complete and balanced for adult and growing cats and dogs. Included are also links to other blog posts that describe some of these nutrients and why they're essential. Protein and Amino Acids While the amount may differ between dogs and cats, and between adults and seniors, all pets have a minimum requirement for protein to make muscle in the body and help in many important body functions. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and there are approximately a dozen essential amino acids in addition to a minimum of overall protein that all pets need: Arginine Histidine Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Cystine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Valine Taurine (cats)
  Fats and Fatty Acids All pets have a minimum amount of total fat that they need in their diet and there are also some specific types of fatty acids that are also required for different lifestages. Overall fats and specific types of fatty acids help your pet maintain a healthy skin/coat, regulate inflammation, and aid in development in growing pets. Linoleic Acid Arachidonic Acid (cats) Alpha-Linoleic Acid (growth) EPA + DHA (growth)
  Minerals  Minerals, some of which are also called electrolytes, are critical to keeping fluid balance, growing and maintaining bones, and helping to regulate many processes running in a pet's body, such as movement of muscles. The amounts required can vary between growing and adult animals, and there is also a required ratio of certain minerals such as calcium and phosphorus for optimal health, especially for growing large breed puppies. Calcium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Chloride Magnesium Iron Copper Manganese Zinc Iodine Selenium
  Vitamins  Cats and dogs require many of the same vitamins as we do (except for Vitamin C, which they can make themselves!), but the amounts can be very different. One example is Vitamin D, where dogs need less than 1/10th the amount that humans do, so we have to be very careful about using human products (or any supplements for that matter!) in pets to avoid toxic amounts of vitamin D. Vitamins perform many functions in the body from supporting the immune system to breaking down food for energy, and are either water soluble (the B vitamins) or fat soluble (vitamins A, D, E and K). The essential vitamins for dogs and cats are listed below with common alternate names that you may see on your pet food ingredient lists. Vitamin A (retinol) Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) Vitamin E (tocopherol) Vitamin K (phylloguinone, cats) Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Niacin (Vitamin B3) Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) Folic Acid/Folate (Vitamin B9) Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Choline
   Where Can I Go To Learn More?  If you'd like to learn more about the exact amounts required of these nutrients in different lifestages and species, booklets are also available online from the National Resource Council with more details on each of these essential nutrients for dogs and cats. How Do I Know My Pet Is Getting All These Nutrients? Foods that have AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements that state they are complete and balanced have to include all these essential nutrients and stay between the minimum requirements and any maximums. Providing extra through supplements may actually harm your pet because you may unknowingly be providing a toxic amount of some nutrients that have narrow safety ranges! We recommend only giving supplements with any of these essential nutrients when recommended specifically by your veterinarian. by Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Nutrition)

04/08/2022

Darling Ingredients Inc. Completes Acquisition of Brazil's Largest Independent Rendering Company, FASA Group

The company first announced the acquisition in May 2022 for a purchase price of approximately R$2.8 billion Brazilian Real in cash ($542.6 million USD at today's exchange rate), plus or minus various closing adjustments and a contingent payment based on future earnings growth. As part of the transaction, Darling Ingredients has acquired 14 plants that process more than 1.3 million metric tons annually, with an additional two plants under construction. "Brazil will play a big role in feeding a growing world population, which makes it a premier location to grow our specialty ingredients business," Randall C. Stuewe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Darling Ingredients. "FASA is a well-run business, will be immediately accretive and further de-risks the supply chain by providing an additional source of non-food based, low-carbon waste fats to be used in the production of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel." About Darling Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) is the largest publicly traded company turning edible by-products and food waste into sustainable products and a leading producer of renewable energy. Recognized as a sustainability leader, the company operates 250 plants in 17 countries and repurposes nearly 15% of the world's meat industry waste streams into value-added products, such as green energy, renewable diesel, collagen, fertilizer, animal proteins and meals and pet food ingredients. To learn more, visit darlingii.com. Follow us on LinkedIn. Contact: Suann Guthrie
VP, Investor Relations, Sustainability & Communications
(469) 214-8202, Suann.guthrie@darlingii.com