WANPY® becomes first Chinese pet food brand to receive WPA International Excellence Award

In August 2026, the World Pet Association (WPA) presented the 2026 WPA International Excellence Award to WANPY®, making it the first Chinese pet food brand to receive the honor.

As one of the most established and respected organizations in the global pet industry, WPA is widely recognized for the standards it sets and the values it champions. Its reach extends across major markets worldwide through a broad network of industry partners.

Each year, the award recognizes brands that distinguish themselves in product quality, innovation and contribution to the industry. Candidates are evaluated on product excellence, R&D capability, quality control systems and international market performance.

WANPY®’s selection within this framework represents a first for any Chinese pet food brand.

Global expansion backed by quality standards

Founded in 1998 and operating under the publicly listed Yantai China Pet Foods Co., Ltd., WANPY® brings 29 years of global industry experience to pet families across 77 countries and regions. The company leads all Chinese pet food brands in export volume.

Gaining access to overseas markets can be challenging, given the wide variation in regulatory requirements. WANPY®’s global footprint signals that its products have been approved by regulatory authorities across multiple markets and meet internationally recognized standards.

WANPY®’s global footprint

To maintain consistent quality amid varying global regulations, supply chains and consumer demands, WANPY® operates 28 modern production hubs across China, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Mexico. All sites are supported by a full-chain quality assurance system spanning R&D, manufacturing, third-party testing and traceability to underpin the brand promise of “Global Sharing, Same Quality”.

WANPY® has also partnered with SGS, a global testing, inspection and certification company, to establish the first globally aligned quality standard in China’s pet food industry. It integrates requirements from four major regulatory frameworks – China, the EU, the US and Japan – covering 171 key indicators across ingredient safety, production processes, quality control and testing protocols. Following on-site audits and product sampling, WANPY®’s “XIAOJINDUN” product line was rated “Excellent”.

R&D gains international recognition

Commenting on the award, Chenlong Hao, Director and Vice President of Yantai China Pet Foods and CEO of WANPY®, said: “Through our global R&D and innovation service center, WANPY® has built a collaborative R&D network that draws on research resources from China, the US, Canada and New Zealand. To date, we have secured 399 national patents. Earlier this year, scientific findings related to our XIAOJINDUN line were published in a peer-reviewed top international SCI-indexed journal, a milestone that signals WANPY®’s R&D is now part of the open, peer-reviewed scientific conversation.”

Michael Lou, WPA Chairman (left), and Hao Chenlong, CEO of WANPY® (right)

In addition to the WPA award, WANPY® earned a 2026 Pet Innovation Award, marking another industry first for a Chinese pet food brand. Together, these honors affirm WANPY®’s ability to compete with leading names and earn recognition from respected international organizations.

Behind this success is WANPY®’s ability to meet some of the world’s most stringent standards, supported by a global production footprint, end-to-end quality control and R&D. At its core, however, is something more fundamental: a long-term investment in quality tied to what consumers value most. By building a world-class standards system, WANPY® turns complex, science-driven quality control into stable, reliable and safe products that pet families around the world can trust.

The recognition also reflects a broader shift across China’s pet food industry. The sector is moving toward a value-chain upgrade in which companies increasingly prioritize science-driven R&D and proprietary standards as core competitive strengths. WANPY® provides a benchmark for local companies seeking to expand internationally and shows the growing contribution Chinese brands are making to the global pet food industry.