Sustainability in pet players (I): Mars, Partner in Pet Food and Petcurean

The pet food industry is increasingly aligning growth with sustainability, taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adopt renewable energy and minimize waste across global supply chains.

GlobalPETS looks at how Mars, Partner in Pet Food and Petcurean are advancing their sustainability efforts.

Mars

American pet food giant Mars reported a 16.4% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2024 across its full value chain from its 2015 baseline.

“In 2024, we continued to decouple GHG emissions from growth and to scale climate-smart agriculture across our value chain,” says Alastair Child, Chief Sustainability Officer of Mars Incorporated. “Challenges remain, and progress will not happen in a straight line, but with innovation and collaboration, we’re proving that growth and sustainability can go hand in hand,”

Mars noted that over half (58%) of the electricity it sources is renewable, and that it has achieved a 36% reduction in the gap to sustainable water use in its value chain since the 2015 baseline.

In addition, 64.1% of its consumer-facing packaging is designed to be reusable, recyclable or compostable. In July, Mars launched a recyclable mono-material pouch for its WHISKAS pet food brand in the UK and Germany. “The switch to recyclable material has reduced the carbon footprint of the packaging by 46%,” the company says in a statement.

To further emissions reduction in pet food manufacturing, Mars’ Wodonga plant, which produces pet food brands including PEDIGREE and WHISKAS, will become Australia’s first large-scale, steam-based manufacturing site powered entirely by renewable energy by 2026.

In collaboration with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which provided a A$17.2 million (€9.6M/$11.2M) grant, the project will deploy a parabolic trough concentrated solar thermal system.

For North America operations, Mars is engaging with agribusiness companies and solution providers through its brands Royal Canin, PEDIGREE and IAMS in the US and Canada to encourage wheat, corn and rice farmers in selected regions to adopt regenerative agriculture practices.

Partner in Pet Food

European pet food maker Partner in Pet Food (PPF) reported a 5% reduction in total Scope 1 (direct GHG emissions), 2 (from the use of purchased energy) and 3 (indirect emissions in the value chain) GHG emissions in 2024, compared with its 2021 baseline.

The company also utilized intermodal transport options and alternative fuels, resulting in over 43,000 kg CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions avoided.

In 2024, PPF produced approximately 716,000 tonnes of pet food and reported sales of approximately €785 million ($678.6M). PPF operates across 10 countries and distributes products to more than 400 customers, including major grocery retailers, supermarkets, specialist pet shops and veterinarians across more than 50 countries.

In addition, PPF implemented energy-saving projects within its factories, focusing on optimizing the production process and installing adequate equipment to increase energy efficiency. Two of its factories had solar panels installed in 2024.

The company has entered into a 12-year Heat as a Service agreement with Brenmiller Energy, a leading thermal energy storage developer. The system will replace fossil fuel boilers, cutting energy costs and enabling a smoother transition to green power. The project is slated for completion in early 2026.

Petcurean

Canadian pet food manufacturer Petcurean ended 2024 with 42% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions, compared to its baseline year in 2022.

Scope 1 emissions include natural gas (HVAC) usage as well as gas from fleet vehicles, while Scope 2 emissions come from purchased electricity.

The improvement was driven by the 27% office space reduction, continued fleet transition to hybrids and ongoing energy conservation efforts in its head office.

Meanwhile, the majority of the firm’s GHG emissions come from Scope 3, which accounts for all indirect emissions throughout the value chain. In 2024, its Scope 3 emissions were estimated at 54,251.02 MT CO₂e.

“To address this, our Sustainability Committee, which represents all departments across our organization, conducted a thorough evaluation of our Scope 3 emissions in 2024. The Committee has identified key areas where we can make an impact and is now developing a targeted, long-term plan to reduce these emissions, in line with our broader sustainability goals,” Petcurean says.

“In January 2025, we purchased carbon offsets to neutralize the 86.67 metric tonnes of Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions generated across our organization between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024,” it adds.

Petcurean has also partnered with manufacturers who run on clean energy, including Elmira Pet Products, which operates with 75% clean energy, utilizing a mix of nuclear, hydro, wind, solar and biofuel.

Its head office in British Columbia also uses 97% of electricity from renewable energy, primarily hydroelectric power.

In addition, to minimize food waste, Petcurean incorporated 6 metric tonnes of upcycled ingredients into its Benefit Chews product line, which are also packaged in recyclable bags. As sustainability becomes a central pillar of the pet food industry, players are increasingly embedding environmental responsibility into every aspect of their day-to-day operations.

Sustainability in pet players (II): Tom&Co, Pets at Home and Petz