Private label pet food: 3 unignorable trends

Private label has shifted from a price play to a core competitive lever across all pet sales channels: supermarket, specialist and online.

Supermarkets are traditionally private label innovators, and move ~43% of pet food volume (Mordor Intelligence). But the upgrade is industry-wide, and pet consumers are pushing everyone to raise quality, rethink packaging and expand into higher-margin snacking.

Premium by design

Private label is no longer seen as only the budget-friendly option. According to the 2024 Power of Private Brands report from the Food Industry Association, 42% of shoppers named quality as the key factor in choosing private label, compared to 30% in 2023. McKinsey Insights reports that more than 80% of consumers believe private label products match or even exceed the quality of national brands.

These consumer expectations can be met by making premium quality a central focus in private label pet food. Growing awareness among pet owners of nutrition’s role in health creates demand for premium formulas with strong palatability at competitive prices.

Packaging that meets demands

Consumer demand for sustainability is clear: a PETS International and Loop survey found that 46% of pet parents choose sustainable packaging to reduce environmental impact. At the same time, 21% value convenience, expecting packaging to help save money and reduce waste. Retailers can respond by prioritizing eco-friendly solutions across categories.

In wet food, this means replacing flow packs with cardboard sleeves for pouch multipacks, which are perceived as more sustainable and practical. In dry food, requests for eco-friendly options are driving manufacturers to test lighter-density polyethylene bags that are easier to recycle while maintaining strength and product stability.

Snacks as a growth engine

As pets take on a more central role in households, spending on treats is growing fast. According to DataHorizzon Research, the global pet snack market reached $23 billion (€19.6B) in 2023 and is expected to nearly double by 2033.

This growth opens opportunities well beyond traditional biscuits and chews. Unconventional formats are gaining traction, including soups, creamy snacks and meat-based desserts. Some retailers are reorganizing their pet food aisles, dedicating separate shelves for treats and expanding private label opportunities in this fast-growing category.

To capture these opportunities, retailers need partners with the scale and expertise to deliver innovative concepts quickly and reliably. Kormotech combines global production capacity with more than 25 private label partnerships worldwide, helping retailers turn consumer trends in treats into profitable, differentiated assortments.