Will Alternative Pet Foods Ever Become Mainstream?

Beef. Chicken. Fish. Meal. Lamb. Turkey. The vast majority of pet foods rely on a relatively narrow scope of ingredients for protein. But in the world of human foods, finding alternative sources of protein seems to be an industry all to itself. Will the trend of alternative proteins ever take pet food by storm? And if so, what would it be like?

Why Alternative Proteins?

There are several reasons that a pet owner looks for different protein sources for their pets, just as with human food choices. Sometimes, they’re health or allergy-related. Sometimes people shop around for nontraditional ingredients for environmental reasons, or because they’re concerned with sustainability. It could be due to animal welfare concerns. Whatever the reason a pet owner is looking for alternative protein sources, pet food manufacturers listen. Which is where we come in.

Since one of the primary services we offer at Bill Barr & Company is ingredient sourcing, our ears perk up whenever there’s talk of “new” ingredients hitting the industry. Is it something we’ll have to look into for our clients? Should we be ready with answers? The answer to both of those questions is usually “yes,” so here are a few “alternative” protein sources that are on our radar.

Technically, anything that deviates from the very common norm could be considered “alternative” when it comes to pet food ingredients, so for this discussion we’ll avoid things like eggs, which are already included in many pet recipes, though generally not as the primary source of protein. We’ll also avoid talking about protein sources that aren’t readily available so won’t likely make a large-scale impact on the industry anytime soon. (We’re looking at alligator and kangaroo here, which are very real ingredients in some pet foods.) When it comes to proteins, what really could replace your beef and chicken — or at least come to rival them in popularity? Are there any real possibilities? We can think of two.

The Bugs Have It

While there are a few pet food manufacturers who offer formulas with crickets or black soldier flies as the main protein, these options are few and far between. Is it possible that they will become more mainstream? Well, it remains to be seen whether insects will ever be marketable enough to the masses to become a major player in the ingredient game, but they’re certainly technically viable. In a study for the National Center for Biotechnology Information, it was concluded that insects can be used in pet food. From the study:

“The chemical composition of insects also corresponds to the nutritional requirements of this group of animals. They are characterized by a very good nutritional value (e.g., high protein content and high content of essential amino acids and fatty acids, including lauric acid), and products with them receive positive results in palatability tests.”

The study did very clearly state that there are many other factors to consider when discussing the viability of insect-based pet food, from contamination of the insects to unforeseen allergy issues. So it’s not as cut and dried as “They’re good for pets and pets like it.” But that’s a start!

Plant One Here

Though plant-based proteins like soy and corn-based gluten are used in pet foods now, we could see this “green” universe expanding a bit. Fava beans, pea and rice protein could become much more common, and hemp, sunflower and canola trends in human food will undoubtedly spill over into pet food at some point in a much bigger way. But for now, meat-based protein still reigns supreme.

Bill Barr is Here For You, No Matter What

No matter where our pet food protein comes from now or in the future, there will always be ingredient needs, both traditional and non-traditional. New types of pet food simply drive the need for new types of ingredients and Bill Barr & Company has proven that we’ll go above & beyond to find everything you need to complete your products.

Whether the future of pet food is traditional, built by science or flown in on locust wings, rest assured that Bill Barr will be here to find what our clients need to keep their business moving. To us, there’s no alternative.