Bad news first: If you make pet food, have an older facility and have been putting off examining your operation in light of FSMA, rushing to comply with the new food safety rules for animal foods is probably proving to be a challenge.
Pet food follows broader human food trends because it must appeal to pet owners who buy it, and these consumers are now expecting the same high standards for their animals' food as their own: convenience, quality, authenticity and transparency.
The pet food market has been growing like crazy the last few years, both in terms of how much is being sold and what is being sold. It's a big opportunity for food processors to expand their current pet offerings or make an entry into the market.
As pet ownership increases, companies involved with pet food processing and packaging can reap the benefits if they keep an eye on the pets' owners and the trends that are driving the pet food industry.
The leaders who produce pet food these days do it in plants that are just as sophisticated in their way of working as the leaders who produce food for you and me.
Canadian pet food producer Champion Petfoods recently opened its new 371,100-sq.-ft. DogStar Kitchens located on 85 acres of land outside of Bowling Green, KY.