December 30, 2024 • 30 mins
Happy New Year! As we ring in 2025 together, we’re bringing you the top five pet care trends to watch in the coming year, from sustainable initiatives and alternative proteins to biotic ingredients and personalized nutrition. In this first episode of the series, we’ll explain greenwashing, explore the potential of upcycled ingredients and the legacy of rendered ingredients, debunk misleading data, and discuss other barriers and opportunities for more sustainable ingredient sourcing across the pet nutrition market.
Helpful Links
Pet Food Ingredients and Environmental Sustainability: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/pet-food-ingredients-and-environmental-sustainability/
BBC on VW greenwashing: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-34324772
More examples of greenwashing: https://earth.org/greenwashing-companies-corporations/
Turning Grocery Waste into Nutritious Ingredient by Dr. Bradley Quest, DVM: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/turning-grocery-waste-nutritious-ingredients-bsm-partners-f1tbc/
Learn more about California Safe Soil (CSS): https://www.calsafesoil.com/
Read more about Emilie Mesnier’s personal sustainability journey: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/a-journey-to-compassionate-consumption/
Top Trends of 2025: How Consumer Evolution Lends Itself to the Pet Care Revolution: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-trends-2025-how-consumer-evolution-lends-itself-pet-care-q5isc/
Show Notes
00:00 – Welcome and Introduction
02:36 – Why is Sustainability So Complex?
05:22 – The Impact of Greenwashing
09:32 – Strategies for Sustainable Sourcing
12:23 – Exploring the Upcycling Movement
14:42 – Rendering: The OG Upcycler for Pets
16:34 – The Real Environmental Impact of Pets
21:16 – Back to Upcycling: CSS on Enzymatic Digestion
23:49 – Pet Treat Brands Using Upcycled Ingredients
25:31 – A Quick Word on Regenerative Agriculture
27:35 – Stay Tuned for Our Sustainability Series!
28:09 – Final Thoughts
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jordan Tyler (00:20):
Walk down any pet food aisle today and it's easy to feel overwhelmed
by the sheer number of options available.
Every bag, pouch, and can seemsto tout its superiority, but
not all are created equal.
So how do you know what'struly best for your pet?
And what's up with all these newingredients and claims that you swear
(00:41):
weren't such a big deal a year ago?
Pet industry innovation moves fast.
Sometimes so fast that novel conceptsand new ingredients aren't always
properly studied before they hitthe market, leaving consumers even
more confused and putting the longterm health of our pets in limbo.
To help pet owners navigatethis increasingly saturated
(01:03):
space, we're bringing you thetop 5 trends to watch in 2025.
In today's episode, the first installmentof our Trends to Watch in 2025
miniseries, we'll dive into the worldof sustainable ingredient sourcing to
discuss the phenomenon of greenwashing,how pet industry brands are selecting
their raw materials more carefullyto reduce their overall environmental
(01:26):
impact, And the question of upcycling,a practice used in the pet nutrition
industry for decades, but now takinga different approach to minimize the
hundreds of billions of pounds of foodthat wind up in landfills each year.
Later this week, we'll share additionalepisodes about four more trends expected
(01:47):
to shape the industry's future, includingalternative protein sources, the
promising power of biotic ingredients,The state of sustainable packaging and
the rise of personalized pet nutrition.
So, as you enter 2025 with fresh eyesand a renewed commitment for going to
the gym, eating healthier, being betterat self care, or whatever it is on your
(02:12):
New Year's resolution list, You can usethe information from today's episode and
the four others we'll release this weekto gain a better understanding of each
of these trends so you can ensure yourfurry companion is getting the very best.
Welcome to Barking Mad, apodcast by BSM Partners.
(02:32):
I'm your host, Jordan Tyler.
So when we were sitting down to researchand put this episode together, we
came up with a long list of trends.
This was done in part through BSMAperture, which is a powerful predictive
tool under the BSM Partners umbrella.
As well as the company's collective petindustry experience, which is pretty vast.
(02:55):
And while all these trends are important,we decided to focus on the five that we
felt are most likely to drive industrysales in 2025, as well as those that
pet parents may find most confusing.
Take sustainability for example.
Sustainability means something differentto everyone, making it incredibly
(03:16):
difficult to compare one companyor brand's initiatives to another.
This sentiment was shared by EmilyMesnier, Vice President of European
Operations at BSM Partners, apet food palatability expert by
trade and sustainability guru
Emilie Mesnier (03:32):
by choice.
To me, sustainabilityis a way of life, right?
But in pet food, it transcends simplyswapping out recyclable packaging.
To me, sustainability is abouta holistic shift in mindset.
Thanks.
Considering the entire life cycleof a product from farm to ball.
(03:54):
Because it impacts the planets,animals, people, and our industry.
Jordan Tyler (03:59):
Emily explains part of why sustainability is so complex is
because it's interconnected to so manyother values and purchasing decisions
and involves not only science, but also
Emilie Mesnier (04:11):
human emotion.
For most U.
S.
consumers, sustainability is often afeeling rather than a concrete definition.
Pet parents might identify orassociate sustainability with vague
notions of being good or doing theright thing for the environment.
And this highlights the need forclear and compelling communication,
(04:32):
meaningful storytelling and tangibleexamples and solutions to bridge
the gap between consumer perceptionand actual sustainability practices.
So for pet parents today,you know, in the U.
S., they do not want to compromise onhealth or convenience for sustainability.
In contrast, in Europe, sustainabilityis often seen as a baseline expectation.
(04:56):
You know, while in the U.
S., it can still be perceived asa premium or a niche attribute.
This difference in market maturitypresents both challenges and
opportunities for pet food companies.
You know, European companies might needto focus on differentiation and innovation
to stay ahead of the curve, while U.
S.
companies may have the opportunityto leverage sustainability as
(05:19):
a true competitive advantage.
Jordan Tyler (05:23):
Now sustainability reporting tools like lifecycle analyses,
which is a way of measuring one inputagainst another in terms of total
environmental impact from farm to forkand beyond, As well as concepts like
Extended Producer Responsibility, orEPR, in which corporations are qualifying
environmental impacts as part oftheir bottom line and prioritizing the
(05:46):
reduction of emissions and waste acrosstheir supply chains, are advancing with
speed toward the goal of creating amore environmentally friendly industry.
However, there is a phenomenonthat's caused some consumers
to proceed with caution.
Thank you Greenwashing is wherecompanies dress up their product
(06:06):
packaging, websites, and marketingmaterials to deceptively lead
consumers to believe their productsare environmentally friendly.
Deceptively is the key word here, ascompanies that employ greenwashing
tactics are actively misleading shoppersto a conclusion that just isn't true.
A great example of this is Dieselgate,the 2015 scandal in which well known
(06:31):
German car manufacturer Volkswagenwas called out for greenwashing.
Now, according to a report from BBCexplaining the scandal, Volkswagen
had installed what they called defeatdevices, or software that could detect
when official emissions testing wasbeing done on its car's diesel engines.
So, when the United States conductedtheir testing, these defeat devices
(06:55):
effectively altered the performance ofthe engines to improve emissions results.
But here's the catch.
The DEFEAT devices only turned on duringofficial testing to warp the results.
When a regular old person bought thiscar and took it for a spin, the emissions
coming from that car would be muchhigher because the DEFEAT devices were
(07:17):
only meant to skew testing results,not actually reduce real emissions.
As I say to my dog when he useshis front paws, During a match
of tug of war, that's cheating.
The company was eventuallycalled out by the Environmental
Protection Agency, leading them topublicly admit their wrongdoing.
Emilie Mesnier (07:39):
So greenwashing is, uh, one of the most complex things to
address with sustainability as well.
It erodes consumer trust.
It undermines genuine efforts to makethe pet food industry more sustainable.
So it is a serious problem thatneeds to be addressed through greater
transparency, stricter regulations.
And, and increaseconsumer awareness, right?
(08:01):
We need to arm them with how torecognize when things may not be
accurate or believable, right?
And the lack of clear definition andstandardized metrics for pet food
sustainability make it easier forcompanies to make misleading claims.
So I think really whatwe need is a robust.
third party audits and certificationsystem that could help the pet
(08:24):
food industry and pet parentsand animals in the same token.
You know, this would help to levelthe playing field and empower pet
parents to make informed choices basedon verified Sustainability practice,
knowing that we all have limitedtime on our hand to do this research.
Quick
Jordan Tyler (08:43):
plug, we'll be exploring the world of pet industry sustainability
this year and beyond in our upand coming sustainability series.
Stay tuned for several fascinatingepisodes about regenerative
agricultural practices and initiatives.
Upcycled ingredients, sustainablepackaging, cat litter, alternative
proteins, and much, much more.
(09:06):
Now, while greenwashing isn't the trendper se, it is an important aspect of
sustainable ingredient sourcing, which isthe trend we'll get to here in a minute.
And this is important to be aware of,because pet parents and consumers in
general need to know about these shammypractices, so that they can ensure
they're not being duped by corporationsand brands who want us to believe they're
(09:29):
doing more good than they really are.
Now let me hop off my soapbox,and let's get into this trend.
So when it comes to sustainability, beingmindful of ingredient sourcing is a huge
opportunity for the pet food industry.
as most companies greatest emissionsdon't actually come directly from its
manufacturing operations, but rather whathappens on either side of the process.
(09:55):
So if you're supply chain savvy, you'llunderstand this as upstream and downstream
activities, wherein upstream activitiesrefer to things like raw material
sourcing for ingredients, packagingmaterials, and other crucial inputs.
While downstream refers tothings like transporting the
products from the facility to awarehouse or a retail location, or
(10:15):
directly to somebody's doorstep,depending on their business model.
So when you think about theupstream portion of the supply
chain, ingredient sourcing fallsdirectly into that category.
And when you think about it,reducing the environmental impact of
ingredients is really a two way street.
Both the company supplying the ingredientsand the company transforming those
(10:36):
ingredients into finished products.
Must be committed to sustainablesourcing and providing data to prove an
ingredient is more sustainably sourcedthan another becomes super important to
avoid greenwashing and help both partiesachieve their sustainability goals.
Joining us to discuss just how thepet industry is tackling sustainable
(10:58):
ingredient sourcing is AllisonReeser, Director of Sustainability and
Innovation at the Pet SustainabilityCoalition, an organization dedicated
to supporting pet industry companies asthey seek to become more sustainable.
Allison Reser (11:13):
I would say there's three topics that companies are
tackling with their sourcing.
First is low carbon ingredients, so seeinghow their sourcing strategy can level
up to their overall emissions targets.
The next is traceable, so making surethat they know where their ingredients
are coming from, because that's a hugebenefit for understanding the impact.
(11:35):
for that.
And then the third is animal welfare.
I think that makes a lot of sense forthe pet industry because we inherently
care about our pets and want to feedthem healthy food and think about their
animal welfare, but then also thinkingabout the welfare of the animals that
are being used as ingredients, thechickens and the cows in that way.
There's also two differentapproaches that I'm seeing a lot.
(11:57):
So, first, is I'm seeing brands andmanufacturers take a look at existing
recipes and say like, Okay, how canwe keep this same recipe but really
engage with our supply chain toimprove one of those topics that I
just mentioned, or something else.
The other method I'm seeing is somecompanies are designing entirely new
(12:17):
products with these sorts of qualities,environmental and social benefit in
mind, which is very exciting to see.
Jordan Tyler (12:24):
So there's actually an interesting subtrend in the
world of sustainable sourcingthat we've identified, and
this subtrend is upcycling.
Now, upcycling is not a new concept, butthe idea of upcycling food that would
otherwise go to waste into dog and catfood and treats is gaining traction.
And while this trend is definitely stillin its early stages and its widespread
(12:46):
adoption in the market remains to beseen, it does pose an exciting way to
reduce the absolutely monumental foodwaste that we accumulate each year.
According to ed, a nonprofit dedicated tosolving the systemic issue of food waste.
In the United States, the averageAmerican spent nearly $800 on
(13:08):
food that ended up ate in 2023.
And collectively, this totaled$264 billion worth of wasted food.
The annual greenhouse gas emissionsfrom that wasted food are estimated
at around 205 million metric tonsof CO2, which is, as ReFed equated,
(13:31):
the same as driving more than 49million passenger vehicles for a year.
And the amount of water usedto grow that food is projected
at nearly 11 trillion gallons.
Which is enough to fill 16 millionOlympic sized swimming pools.
So, not only is this a huge environmentalproblem, it's also a huge economic issue.
(13:57):
It is important, though, to notethe current challenges facing the
upcycling movement, like how a lackof clarity around the term upcycled
could actually lead to greenwashing.
Allison Reser (14:08):
Upcycling ingredients is all about maintaining
food at its highest value.
There are some really alarming statisticsthat, um, also come from the upcycledfood.
org site and also Project Drawdown.
One third of our food.
is never eaten.
And that leads to so many greenhousegas emissions and just like a shame.
(14:31):
So making sure that that food isnot wasted is a huge opportunity
for all things that eat.
But I also, again, think it's alittle tricky to think about like,
okay, what would have gone to waste?
Jordan Tyler (14:43):
So perhaps further defining upcycled food ingredient or
what kinds of foods should be targetedfor upcycling would be helpful.
But here's another thing.
The pet food industry has beenupcycling since way before it was
cool through the use of renderedbyproducts from the human food supply
(15:03):
chain, specifically animal byproducts.
So think of like you go to thestore, you buy a steak that steak.
It's not the only thing thatcame from that cow, right?
There are all sorts of other parts thatnever even make it to the meat section
of the grocery store because culturally,there are certain parts of the animal
that we simply won't eat as Americans.
(15:24):
We'll get to that a little bit later.
The point I want to make here firstis people get really worked up about
byproducts being nasty and gross andunfit for consumption, but I'd like to
point out that while meat byproductslike trimmings and organ meats.
Get a bad rap.
They're actually really, really greatsources of nutrition for pets, and they
(15:46):
save valuable nutrients, those meatyingredients that used up a ton of natural
resources for the chance to become foodfrom just wasting away in a landfill.
Allison Reser (15:58):
The pet food industry complements the human food industry
really beautifully because there aresome parts of plants and animals that are
super nutritious for pets and healthy,but not necessarily, again, they don't
find their way into human food a lot.
Animal byproducts fit into that category,and I, again, byproducts kind of needs
(16:19):
a brand refresh because it's such a,ugh, that word doesn't feel very good,
but it's all the organ meats that tendto be sent to rendering or something.
Those have a huge opportunity inpet food, um, and can complement
the human food industry.
Jordan Tyler (16:34):
Now, in a minute, we'll hear about some of the companies
making upcycled ingredients foruse in animal food, as well as some
brands that are proudly incorporatingsuch upcycled ingredients into their
finished pet food and treat products.
But first, while we're talking aboutrendering and greenwashing, I want
to address a statistic that's beenFloating around for some years now and
(16:56):
maybe deserves another closer look.
This statistic comes from a peerreviewed paper by Gregory Okun
published in 2017, which states thatthrough their diet, the American dog
and cat population constitutes about25 to 30 percent of the environmental
impacts from animal production.
(17:17):
In terms of the use of plant, water,fossil fuel, phosphate, and biocides.
By way of solution, Okun suggestsin the paper that reducing the rate
of dog and cat ownership in theUnited States, as well as industry
wide efforts to reduce overfeeding,waste, and find alternative sources of
protein, would reduce these impacts.
(17:41):
So, we could just stop having pets.
Although that comes off to me as alittle eco fascist, and you'd really
have to twist my arm to make me believethat that's the only solution here.
And the industry is already exploringalternative proteins, which we will
discuss more in our second Trendsof 2025 episode coming out tomorrow.
(18:02):
But, as we're 30 percentstatistic, what about the rendered
byproducts we just mentioned?
These byproducts are made upof all the parts of an animal
that humans refuse to eat.
So, organ meats, bone meal, and otherparts we find unsavory but are perfectly
edible and actually super nutritious.
(18:24):
And if we don't do something with them,they're just going to go to waste.
Now, I'm going to read a passage fromthis report that kind of serves to
make the point I'm trying to make here.
He says, It could be argued that dogs andcats eat meat that humans cannot consume.
And, which is simply a byproductof production for human use, and
therefore should not be counted asconsumption beyond that of humans.
(18:47):
To some extent, this is certainly true.
Humans, for instance, do not generallyconsume bone meal, a common ingredient.
But other ingredients in pet food thatare byproducts of human meat production
are certainly edible after processing.
Now, the phrase, certainlyedible after processing.
And another, which is readilyaccepted at the dinner table,
(19:11):
are completely different things.
Like, yeah, organ meats are a delicacyin certain cultures, but you would be
hard pressed to find a tried and trueAmerican that isn't skeptical about
adding those ingredients into their diets.
And I'm not saying that's a good thing.
You know, incorporating more animalbyproducts into our own diets is
(19:33):
maybe something we should look into.
And I know Personally, I'dcertainly try that before giving
my own dogs and cats the boot.
And you know, I'm not doing this tobag, and Okun does make some arguments
in here that are more compelling, inmy opinion, like how the humanization
of pet food, like using human grademeats to produce pet food instead of
byproducts of those ingredient streams,is actually placing dog and cat food
(19:57):
in direct competition with humanfood, in terms of the supply chain.
That I actually agree with,and there's a delicate balance
to be struck there, for sure.
But my point here is this, if byproductsare lumped into the environmental
impact of our dogs and cats consumptionof animals, and then we stop feeding
animals byproducts, or stoppedkeeping pets altogether, there would
(20:20):
be no market for these ingredients.
It would just mean a pile ofanimal products deemed unfit
for human consumption undertoday's conventional standards.
And that pile would grow and growwith nowhere to go but the landfill
or contaminating our oceans.
So really, if we didn't have petfood as a viable stream for these
(20:40):
ingredients, They would be going to waste.
And, in my opinion, this makes renderedbyproducts an OG champion of upcycling.
I don't remember getting back upon my soapbox, but here we are.
I just felt that was a really importantpoint to make because that 25 30 percent
statistic gets thrown around a lot, but Ifear it's actually serving to exaggerate
(21:05):
what's really going on to the point whereit could be considered greenwashing.
Especially for the positiveimpact that rendered ingredients
in pet food already have on theenvironment and have for decades.
Okay, let's get back toupcycled ingredients.
Today and in the future, ugly produce andfood items that don't sell in the store
(21:25):
but are perfectly delicious and nutritiousotherwise have another way to be recovered
through a company called CaliforniaSafe Soil, or CSS, which originally used
these food products to create all naturalfertilizers and is now bringing their
business model to the pet nutrition space.
CSS works closely with grocery storesto recover food, maintains a strict cold
(21:48):
chain, in other words, transportationthat keeps the food cold and fresh
between the store and CSS facilities,and sorts out any garlic, onions,
or other food items known to beharmful to pets before embarking on a
process called enzymatic digestion tocreate its final pet food ingredient
(22:08):
for manufacturers to incorporate.
Dan Morash (22:19):
It's basically biomimicry.
What we're doing is the same thingthat happens in your stomach where
you digest your food with enzymes,which therefore breaks the food down.
That process of enzymaticdigestion is something that is
very efficient at breaking fooddown into its constituent elements.
(22:40):
Thanks.
Uh, that can then, particularly onceit's pasteurized and stabilized.
You can get the value of the foodthe same way you get value from
food when you digest it yourself.
Jordan Tyler (22:53):
So if any of y'all listened to the Barking Mad trailer,
you know that I have a dog withexocrine pancreatic insufficiency,
or EPI, which basically means hispancreas doesn't naturally produce the
enzymes he needs to digest proteins,fats, and sugars properly on his own.
So When Dan started explaining enzymaticdigestion, I was like, this sounds
(23:16):
a lot like what we have to do forLenny every morning and every night.
So to help him be able to digest thenutrients in his food, we sprinkle a
blend of digestive enzymes on every meal.
We slosh it around witha little bit of water.
And then let it sit and digestin the bowl for up to 20 minutes
before he can actually dig in.
(23:37):
So, this pre digestion isessentially what CSS is doing
just on a much, much larger scale.
And for the good of not just mydog, but other dogs and the planet.
Anyway, enzymatic digestion is one greatway to upcycle, but just to kind of drive
this trend home, there are a handfulof brands that have launched products
(24:00):
made with upcycled ingredients in therecent years, including Shameless Pets,
which takes misfit and surplus produce.
Eggshells, seafood, and otheringredients, and incorporates them
into nutritious pet treats thatalso pack a punch of functional
health benefits at the same time.
Another company, Phelps PetProducts, which co manufactures
(24:24):
jerky style treats for a varietyof brand names and private labels,
has robust capabilities for puttingupcycled ingredients in its treats.
Including through an exclusivelicensing agreement with Disney inked
in 2021, through which the companyhas created a line of Disney character
inspired trades, most of whichcarry the upcycled certified label.
(24:47):
And then there's also Ag Alchemy.
Another co manufacturer based in theMidwest that incorporates upcycled
bakery products and produce intoits pet treats, but then goes a step
further and also includes biotics.
Another fascinating trend we'lldiscuss here in a minute to not only
recover food waste, but Also supporta pet's gut microbiome and how ag
(25:10):
alchemy is also USDA organic certified.
So really hitting on some importantpriorities for consumers there.
Now there are others of course, butas the supply chain infrastructure
for upcycling ingredients ramps upalongside new companies entering
this space, this will certainly bea trend to watch in 2025 and beyond.
(25:32):
There's one more ingredient sourcingsubtrend I want to bring up today
before We wrap up this episode, andthat's regenerative agriculture.
The Pet Sustainability Coalitionhas its boots on the ground in this
space, facilitating the adoption ofregeneratively sourced ingredients
through a USDA Climate SmartCommodity Grant called Growing
(25:53):
Grass, according to Allison.
Allison Reser (25:56):
It's all about increasing the use of regeneratively raised beef
and bison byproducts in pet food.
So that's been a really fun initiative.
And just a few sentences onregenerative agriculture.
It's a way of farming and ranching thatuses grazing animals over the land and
their hooves and a variety of things arereally good for soil health and carbon
(26:16):
sequestration among many benefits.
Jordan Tyler (26:19):
Now, the 21st century has seen a sizable push for
farmers and ranchers to adopt moresustainable practices and really
be positive stewards of their land.
And in recent years, this hasevolved into a sharper focus
on regenerative agriculture.
Which, according to the NationalResource Defense Council, or NRDC,
(26:41):
is a holistic land managementphilosophy that recognizes how soil,
water, crops, people, and animals areelements of one interconnected system.
And while there is no one definitionfor regenerative agriculture, at
least not yet, these practices aimto empower farmers and ranchers by
(27:02):
helping them to reduce their carbonemissions, conserve water, keep
it clean, safeguard biodiversitywithin the soil and on the farm.
Reduce the use of synthetic fertilizersand other chemicals, grow foods that
are actually healthier and more nutrientdense, and fairly compensate and support
(27:23):
farm workers in the communities in whichcrops are grown and animals are raised.
All of this, according to the NRDC, is toensure the long term vitality of the land.
In the pet industry, there are afew brands proudly partnering with
regenerative farmers and ranchers,but We're not doing spoilers today.
(27:44):
You're going to have to wait for anupcoming episode in our sustainability
series, in which we'll sit downwith regenerative agriculture
champions inside and outside of thepet nutrition space to learn more
about why this trend is importantand how it might evolve over time.
Sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger, butbe sure to stay tuned as that episode will
(28:06):
come out in the first quarter of 2025.
And with that, we've reached the endof our first Trend to Watch in 2025.
From understanding greenwashing toexploring the exciting world of upcycled
ingredients, debunking reservations aroundrendered byproducts, and the potential
of regenerative agriculture, it's clearthat sustainable sourcing is here to
(28:28):
stay and will continue to shift how thepet food industry thinks about and works
to address its environmental impact.
Be sure to come back tomorrowas we dive into our second trend
of 2025, alternative proteins.
You will not want to miss a fascinatingconversation about how cultivated and
(28:48):
fermented meats and insect proteins Mightreshape the future of pet nutrition, but
the keyword here is might, and that'sall I'll say ahead of the episode.
In the meantime, thank you for tuning into Barking Mad, a podcast by BSM Partners.
If you'd like to learn more aboutus, please visit our website at www.
(29:10):
bsmpartners.
com.
Don't forget to subscribe on Spotifyor Apple podcasts, and if you enjoyed
today's episode, share it with afellow pet lover and leave us a review.
Lastly, be sure to stay tuned for moreinsights this week from our Trends
2025 miniseries, as well as futureepisodes on pet care innovation,
(29:33):
sustainability, and other hardhitting topics you won't want to miss.
We'd like to thank our dedicatedteam in support of this episode.
Ada-Miette Thomas, NeeleyBowden, Kait Wright, and Dr.
Katy Miller.
A special thanks to Lee AnnHagerty and Michael Johnson.
See you next time!
Walk down any pet food aisle today and it's easy to feel overwhelmed
by the sheer number of options available.
Every bag, pouch, and can seemsto tout its superiority, but
not all are created equal.
So how do you know what'struly best for your pet?
And what's up with all these newingredients and claims that you swear
(00:41):
weren't such a big deal a year ago?
Pet industry innovation moves fast.
Sometimes so fast that novel conceptsand new ingredients aren't always
properly studied before they hitthe market, leaving consumers even
more confused and putting the longterm health of our pets in limbo.
To help pet owners navigatethis increasingly saturated
(01:03):
space, we're bringing you thetop 5 trends to watch in 2025.
In today's episode, the first installmentof our Trends to Watch in 2025
miniseries, we'll dive into the worldof sustainable ingredient sourcing to
discuss the phenomenon of greenwashing,how pet industry brands are selecting
their raw materials more carefullyto reduce their overall environmental
(01:26):
impact, And the question of upcycling,a practice used in the pet nutrition
industry for decades, but now takinga different approach to minimize the
hundreds of billions of pounds of foodthat wind up in landfills each year.
Later this week, we'll share additionalepisodes about four more trends expected
(01:47):
to shape the industry's future, includingalternative protein sources, the
promising power of biotic ingredients,The state of sustainable packaging and
the rise of personalized pet nutrition.
So, as you enter 2025 with fresh eyesand a renewed commitment for going to
the gym, eating healthier, being betterat self care, or whatever it is on your
(02:12):
New Year's resolution list, You can usethe information from today's episode and
the four others we'll release this weekto gain a better understanding of each
of these trends so you can ensure yourfurry companion is getting the very best.
Welcome to Barking Mad, apodcast by BSM Partners.
(02:32):
I'm your host, Jordan Tyler.
So when we were sitting down to researchand put this episode together, we
came up with a long list of trends.
This was done in part through BSMAperture, which is a powerful predictive
tool under the BSM Partners umbrella.
As well as the company's collective petindustry experience, which is pretty vast.
(02:55):
And while all these trends are important,we decided to focus on the five that we
felt are most likely to drive industrysales in 2025, as well as those that
pet parents may find most confusing.
Take sustainability for example.
Sustainability means something differentto everyone, making it incredibly
(03:16):
difficult to compare one companyor brand's initiatives to another.
This sentiment was shared by EmilyMesnier, Vice President of European
Operations at BSM Partners, apet food palatability expert by
trade and sustainability guru
Emilie Mesnier (03:32):
by choice.
To me, sustainabilityis a way of life, right?
But in pet food, it transcends simplyswapping out recyclable packaging.
To me, sustainability is abouta holistic shift in mindset.
Thanks.
Considering the entire life cycleof a product from farm to ball.
(03:54):
Because it impacts the planets,animals, people, and our industry.
Jordan Tyler (03:59):
Emily explains part of why sustainability is so complex is
because it's interconnected to so manyother values and purchasing decisions
and involves not only science, but also
Emilie Mesnier (04:11):
human emotion.
For most U.
S.
consumers, sustainability is often afeeling rather than a concrete definition.
Pet parents might identify orassociate sustainability with vague
notions of being good or doing theright thing for the environment.
And this highlights the need forclear and compelling communication,
(04:32):
meaningful storytelling and tangibleexamples and solutions to bridge
the gap between consumer perceptionand actual sustainability practices.
So for pet parents today,you know, in the U.
S., they do not want to compromise onhealth or convenience for sustainability.
In contrast, in Europe, sustainabilityis often seen as a baseline expectation.
(04:56):
You know, while in the U.
S., it can still be perceived asa premium or a niche attribute.
This difference in market maturitypresents both challenges and
opportunities for pet food companies.
You know, European companies might needto focus on differentiation and innovation
to stay ahead of the curve, while U.
S.
companies may have the opportunityto leverage sustainability as
(05:19):
a true competitive advantage.
Jordan Tyler (05:23):
Now sustainability reporting tools like lifecycle analyses,
which is a way of measuring one inputagainst another in terms of total
environmental impact from farm to forkand beyond, As well as concepts like
Extended Producer Responsibility, orEPR, in which corporations are qualifying
environmental impacts as part oftheir bottom line and prioritizing the
(05:46):
reduction of emissions and waste acrosstheir supply chains, are advancing with
speed toward the goal of creating amore environmentally friendly industry.
However, there is a phenomenonthat's caused some consumers
to proceed with caution.
Thank you Greenwashing is wherecompanies dress up their product
(06:06):
packaging, websites, and marketingmaterials to deceptively lead
consumers to believe their productsare environmentally friendly.
Deceptively is the key word here, ascompanies that employ greenwashing
tactics are actively misleading shoppersto a conclusion that just isn't true.
A great example of this is Dieselgate,the 2015 scandal in which well known
(06:31):
German car manufacturer Volkswagenwas called out for greenwashing.
Now, according to a report from BBCexplaining the scandal, Volkswagen
had installed what they called defeatdevices, or software that could detect
when official emissions testing wasbeing done on its car's diesel engines.
So, when the United States conductedtheir testing, these defeat devices
(06:55):
effectively altered the performance ofthe engines to improve emissions results.
But here's the catch.
The DEFEAT devices only turned on duringofficial testing to warp the results.
When a regular old person bought thiscar and took it for a spin, the emissions
coming from that car would be muchhigher because the DEFEAT devices were
(07:17):
only meant to skew testing results,not actually reduce real emissions.
As I say to my dog when he useshis front paws, During a match
of tug of war, that's cheating.
The company was eventuallycalled out by the Environmental
Protection Agency, leading them topublicly admit their wrongdoing.
Emilie Mesnier (07:39):
So greenwashing is, uh, one of the most complex things to
address with sustainability as well.
It erodes consumer trust.
It undermines genuine efforts to makethe pet food industry more sustainable.
So it is a serious problem thatneeds to be addressed through greater
transparency, stricter regulations.
And, and increaseconsumer awareness, right?
(08:01):
We need to arm them with how torecognize when things may not be
accurate or believable, right?
And the lack of clear definition andstandardized metrics for pet food
sustainability make it easier forcompanies to make misleading claims.
So I think really whatwe need is a robust.
third party audits and certificationsystem that could help the pet
(08:24):
food industry and pet parentsand animals in the same token.
You know, this would help to levelthe playing field and empower pet
parents to make informed choices basedon verified Sustainability practice,
knowing that we all have limitedtime on our hand to do this research.
Quick
Jordan Tyler (08:43):
plug, we'll be exploring the world of pet industry sustainability
this year and beyond in our upand coming sustainability series.
Stay tuned for several fascinatingepisodes about regenerative
agricultural practices and initiatives.
Upcycled ingredients, sustainablepackaging, cat litter, alternative
proteins, and much, much more.
(09:06):
Now, while greenwashing isn't the trendper se, it is an important aspect of
sustainable ingredient sourcing, which isthe trend we'll get to here in a minute.
And this is important to be aware of,because pet parents and consumers in
general need to know about these shammypractices, so that they can ensure
they're not being duped by corporationsand brands who want us to believe they're
(09:29):
doing more good than they really are.
Now let me hop off my soapbox,and let's get into this trend.
So when it comes to sustainability, beingmindful of ingredient sourcing is a huge
opportunity for the pet food industry.
as most companies greatest emissionsdon't actually come directly from its
manufacturing operations, but rather whathappens on either side of the process.
(09:55):
So if you're supply chain savvy, you'llunderstand this as upstream and downstream
activities, wherein upstream activitiesrefer to things like raw material
sourcing for ingredients, packagingmaterials, and other crucial inputs.
While downstream refers tothings like transporting the
products from the facility to awarehouse or a retail location, or
(10:15):
directly to somebody's doorstep,depending on their business model.
So when you think about theupstream portion of the supply
chain, ingredient sourcing fallsdirectly into that category.
And when you think about it,reducing the environmental impact of
ingredients is really a two way street.
Both the company supplying the ingredientsand the company transforming those
(10:36):
ingredients into finished products.
Must be committed to sustainablesourcing and providing data to prove an
ingredient is more sustainably sourcedthan another becomes super important to
avoid greenwashing and help both partiesachieve their sustainability goals.
Joining us to discuss just how thepet industry is tackling sustainable
(10:58):
ingredient sourcing is AllisonReeser, Director of Sustainability and
Innovation at the Pet SustainabilityCoalition, an organization dedicated
to supporting pet industry companies asthey seek to become more sustainable.
Allison Reser (11:13):
I would say there's three topics that companies are
tackling with their sourcing.
First is low carbon ingredients, so seeinghow their sourcing strategy can level
up to their overall emissions targets.
The next is traceable, so making surethat they know where their ingredients
are coming from, because that's a hugebenefit for understanding the impact.
(11:35):
for that.
And then the third is animal welfare.
I think that makes a lot of sense forthe pet industry because we inherently
care about our pets and want to feedthem healthy food and think about their
animal welfare, but then also thinkingabout the welfare of the animals that
are being used as ingredients, thechickens and the cows in that way.
There's also two differentapproaches that I'm seeing a lot.
(11:57):
So, first, is I'm seeing brands andmanufacturers take a look at existing
recipes and say like, Okay, how canwe keep this same recipe but really
engage with our supply chain toimprove one of those topics that I
just mentioned, or something else.
The other method I'm seeing is somecompanies are designing entirely new
(12:17):
products with these sorts of qualities,environmental and social benefit in
mind, which is very exciting to see.
Jordan Tyler (12:24):
So there's actually an interesting subtrend in the
world of sustainable sourcingthat we've identified, and
this subtrend is upcycling.
Now, upcycling is not a new concept, butthe idea of upcycling food that would
otherwise go to waste into dog and catfood and treats is gaining traction.
And while this trend is definitely stillin its early stages and its widespread
(12:46):
adoption in the market remains to beseen, it does pose an exciting way to
reduce the absolutely monumental foodwaste that we accumulate each year.
According to ed, a nonprofit dedicated tosolving the systemic issue of food waste.
In the United States, the averageAmerican spent nearly $800 on
(13:08):
food that ended up ate in 2023.
And collectively, this totaled$264 billion worth of wasted food.
The annual greenhouse gas emissionsfrom that wasted food are estimated
at around 205 million metric tonsof CO2, which is, as ReFed equated,
(13:31):
the same as driving more than 49million passenger vehicles for a year.
And the amount of water usedto grow that food is projected
at nearly 11 trillion gallons.
Which is enough to fill 16 millionOlympic sized swimming pools.
So, not only is this a huge environmentalproblem, it's also a huge economic issue.
(13:57):
It is important, though, to notethe current challenges facing the
upcycling movement, like how a lackof clarity around the term upcycled
could actually lead to greenwashing.
Allison Reser (14:08):
Upcycling ingredients is all about maintaining
food at its highest value.
There are some really alarming statisticsthat, um, also come from the upcycledfood.
org site and also Project Drawdown.
One third of our food.
is never eaten.
And that leads to so many greenhousegas emissions and just like a shame.
(14:31):
So making sure that that food isnot wasted is a huge opportunity
for all things that eat.
But I also, again, think it's alittle tricky to think about like,
okay, what would have gone to waste?
Jordan Tyler (14:43):
So perhaps further defining upcycled food ingredient or
what kinds of foods should be targetedfor upcycling would be helpful.
But here's another thing.
The pet food industry has beenupcycling since way before it was
cool through the use of renderedbyproducts from the human food supply
(15:03):
chain, specifically animal byproducts.
So think of like you go to thestore, you buy a steak that steak.
It's not the only thing thatcame from that cow, right?
There are all sorts of other parts thatnever even make it to the meat section
of the grocery store because culturally,there are certain parts of the animal
that we simply won't eat as Americans.
(15:24):
We'll get to that a little bit later.
The point I want to make here firstis people get really worked up about
byproducts being nasty and gross andunfit for consumption, but I'd like to
point out that while meat byproductslike trimmings and organ meats.
Get a bad rap.
They're actually really, really greatsources of nutrition for pets, and they
(15:46):
save valuable nutrients, those meatyingredients that used up a ton of natural
resources for the chance to become foodfrom just wasting away in a landfill.
Allison Reser (15:58):
The pet food industry complements the human food industry
really beautifully because there aresome parts of plants and animals that are
super nutritious for pets and healthy,but not necessarily, again, they don't
find their way into human food a lot.
Animal byproducts fit into that category,and I, again, byproducts kind of needs
(16:19):
a brand refresh because it's such a,ugh, that word doesn't feel very good,
but it's all the organ meats that tendto be sent to rendering or something.
Those have a huge opportunity inpet food, um, and can complement
the human food industry.
Jordan Tyler (16:34):
Now, in a minute, we'll hear about some of the companies
making upcycled ingredients foruse in animal food, as well as some
brands that are proudly incorporatingsuch upcycled ingredients into their
finished pet food and treat products.
But first, while we're talking aboutrendering and greenwashing, I want
to address a statistic that's beenFloating around for some years now and
(16:56):
maybe deserves another closer look.
This statistic comes from a peerreviewed paper by Gregory Okun
published in 2017, which states thatthrough their diet, the American dog
and cat population constitutes about25 to 30 percent of the environmental
impacts from animal production.
(17:17):
In terms of the use of plant, water,fossil fuel, phosphate, and biocides.
By way of solution, Okun suggestsin the paper that reducing the rate
of dog and cat ownership in theUnited States, as well as industry
wide efforts to reduce overfeeding,waste, and find alternative sources of
protein, would reduce these impacts.
(17:41):
So, we could just stop having pets.
Although that comes off to me as alittle eco fascist, and you'd really
have to twist my arm to make me believethat that's the only solution here.
And the industry is already exploringalternative proteins, which we will
discuss more in our second Trendsof 2025 episode coming out tomorrow.
(18:02):
But, as we're 30 percentstatistic, what about the rendered
byproducts we just mentioned?
These byproducts are made upof all the parts of an animal
that humans refuse to eat.
So, organ meats, bone meal, and otherparts we find unsavory but are perfectly
edible and actually super nutritious.
(18:24):
And if we don't do something with them,they're just going to go to waste.
Now, I'm going to read a passage fromthis report that kind of serves to
make the point I'm trying to make here.
He says, It could be argued that dogs andcats eat meat that humans cannot consume.
And, which is simply a byproductof production for human use, and
therefore should not be counted asconsumption beyond that of humans.
(18:47):
To some extent, this is certainly true.
Humans, for instance, do not generallyconsume bone meal, a common ingredient.
But other ingredients in pet food thatare byproducts of human meat production
are certainly edible after processing.
Now, the phrase, certainlyedible after processing.
And another, which is readilyaccepted at the dinner table,
(19:11):
are completely different things.
Like, yeah, organ meats are a delicacyin certain cultures, but you would be
hard pressed to find a tried and trueAmerican that isn't skeptical about
adding those ingredients into their diets.
And I'm not saying that's a good thing.
You know, incorporating more animalbyproducts into our own diets is
(19:33):
maybe something we should look into.
And I know Personally, I'dcertainly try that before giving
my own dogs and cats the boot.
And you know, I'm not doing this tobag, and Okun does make some arguments
in here that are more compelling, inmy opinion, like how the humanization
of pet food, like using human grademeats to produce pet food instead of
byproducts of those ingredient streams,is actually placing dog and cat food
(19:57):
in direct competition with humanfood, in terms of the supply chain.
That I actually agree with,and there's a delicate balance
to be struck there, for sure.
But my point here is this, if byproductsare lumped into the environmental
impact of our dogs and cats consumptionof animals, and then we stop feeding
animals byproducts, or stoppedkeeping pets altogether, there would
(20:20):
be no market for these ingredients.
It would just mean a pile ofanimal products deemed unfit
for human consumption undertoday's conventional standards.
And that pile would grow and growwith nowhere to go but the landfill
or contaminating our oceans.
So really, if we didn't have petfood as a viable stream for these
(20:40):
ingredients, They would be going to waste.
And, in my opinion, this makes renderedbyproducts an OG champion of upcycling.
I don't remember getting back upon my soapbox, but here we are.
I just felt that was a really importantpoint to make because that 25 30 percent
statistic gets thrown around a lot, but Ifear it's actually serving to exaggerate
(21:05):
what's really going on to the point whereit could be considered greenwashing.
Especially for the positiveimpact that rendered ingredients
in pet food already have on theenvironment and have for decades.
Okay, let's get back toupcycled ingredients.
Today and in the future, ugly produce andfood items that don't sell in the store
(21:25):
but are perfectly delicious and nutritiousotherwise have another way to be recovered
through a company called CaliforniaSafe Soil, or CSS, which originally used
these food products to create all naturalfertilizers and is now bringing their
business model to the pet nutrition space.
CSS works closely with grocery storesto recover food, maintains a strict cold
(21:48):
chain, in other words, transportationthat keeps the food cold and fresh
between the store and CSS facilities,and sorts out any garlic, onions,
or other food items known to beharmful to pets before embarking on a
process called enzymatic digestion tocreate its final pet food ingredient
(22:08):
for manufacturers to incorporate.
Dan Morash (22:19):
It's basically biomimicry.
What we're doing is the same thingthat happens in your stomach where
you digest your food with enzymes,which therefore breaks the food down.
That process of enzymaticdigestion is something that is
very efficient at breaking fooddown into its constituent elements.
(22:40):
Thanks.
Uh, that can then, particularly onceit's pasteurized and stabilized.
You can get the value of the foodthe same way you get value from
food when you digest it yourself.
Jordan Tyler (22:53):
So if any of y'all listened to the Barking Mad trailer,
you know that I have a dog withexocrine pancreatic insufficiency,
or EPI, which basically means hispancreas doesn't naturally produce the
enzymes he needs to digest proteins,fats, and sugars properly on his own.
So When Dan started explaining enzymaticdigestion, I was like, this sounds
(23:16):
a lot like what we have to do forLenny every morning and every night.
So to help him be able to digest thenutrients in his food, we sprinkle a
blend of digestive enzymes on every meal.
We slosh it around witha little bit of water.
And then let it sit and digestin the bowl for up to 20 minutes
before he can actually dig in.
(23:37):
So, this pre digestion isessentially what CSS is doing
just on a much, much larger scale.
And for the good of not just mydog, but other dogs and the planet.
Anyway, enzymatic digestion is one greatway to upcycle, but just to kind of drive
this trend home, there are a handfulof brands that have launched products
(24:00):
made with upcycled ingredients in therecent years, including Shameless Pets,
which takes misfit and surplus produce.
Eggshells, seafood, and otheringredients, and incorporates them
into nutritious pet treats thatalso pack a punch of functional
health benefits at the same time.
Another company, Phelps PetProducts, which co manufactures
(24:24):
jerky style treats for a varietyof brand names and private labels,
has robust capabilities for puttingupcycled ingredients in its treats.
Including through an exclusivelicensing agreement with Disney inked
in 2021, through which the companyhas created a line of Disney character
inspired trades, most of whichcarry the upcycled certified label.
(24:47):
And then there's also Ag Alchemy.
Another co manufacturer based in theMidwest that incorporates upcycled
bakery products and produce intoits pet treats, but then goes a step
further and also includes biotics.
Another fascinating trend we'lldiscuss here in a minute to not only
recover food waste, but Also supporta pet's gut microbiome and how ag
(25:10):
alchemy is also USDA organic certified.
So really hitting on some importantpriorities for consumers there.
Now there are others of course, butas the supply chain infrastructure
for upcycling ingredients ramps upalongside new companies entering
this space, this will certainly bea trend to watch in 2025 and beyond.
(25:32):
There's one more ingredient sourcingsubtrend I want to bring up today
before We wrap up this episode, andthat's regenerative agriculture.
The Pet Sustainability Coalitionhas its boots on the ground in this
space, facilitating the adoption ofregeneratively sourced ingredients
through a USDA Climate SmartCommodity Grant called Growing
(25:53):
Grass, according to Allison.
Allison Reser (25:56):
It's all about increasing the use of regeneratively raised beef
and bison byproducts in pet food.
So that's been a really fun initiative.
And just a few sentences onregenerative agriculture.
It's a way of farming and ranching thatuses grazing animals over the land and
their hooves and a variety of things arereally good for soil health and carbon
(26:16):
sequestration among many benefits.
Jordan Tyler (26:19):
Now, the 21st century has seen a sizable push for
farmers and ranchers to adopt moresustainable practices and really
be positive stewards of their land.
And in recent years, this hasevolved into a sharper focus
on regenerative agriculture.
Which, according to the NationalResource Defense Council, or NRDC,
(26:41):
is a holistic land managementphilosophy that recognizes how soil,
water, crops, people, and animals areelements of one interconnected system.
And while there is no one definitionfor regenerative agriculture, at
least not yet, these practices aimto empower farmers and ranchers by
(27:02):
helping them to reduce their carbonemissions, conserve water, keep
it clean, safeguard biodiversitywithin the soil and on the farm.
Reduce the use of synthetic fertilizersand other chemicals, grow foods that
are actually healthier and more nutrientdense, and fairly compensate and support
(27:23):
farm workers in the communities in whichcrops are grown and animals are raised.
All of this, according to the NRDC, is toensure the long term vitality of the land.
In the pet industry, there are afew brands proudly partnering with
regenerative farmers and ranchers,but We're not doing spoilers today.
(27:44):
You're going to have to wait for anupcoming episode in our sustainability
series, in which we'll sit downwith regenerative agriculture
champions inside and outside of thepet nutrition space to learn more
about why this trend is importantand how it might evolve over time.
Sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger, butbe sure to stay tuned as that episode will
(28:06):
come out in the first quarter of 2025.
And with that, we've reached the endof our first Trend to Watch in 2025.
From understanding greenwashing toexploring the exciting world of upcycled
ingredients, debunking reservations aroundrendered byproducts, and the potential
of regenerative agriculture, it's clearthat sustainable sourcing is here to
(28:28):
stay and will continue to shift how thepet food industry thinks about and works
to address its environmental impact.
Be sure to come back tomorrowas we dive into our second trend
of 2025, alternative proteins.
You will not want to miss a fascinatingconversation about how cultivated and
(28:48):
fermented meats and insect proteins Mightreshape the future of pet nutrition, but
the keyword here is might, and that'sall I'll say ahead of the episode.
In the meantime, thank you for tuning into Barking Mad, a podcast by BSM Partners.
If you'd like to learn more aboutus, please visit our website at www.
(29:10):
bsmpartners.
com.
Don't forget to subscribe on Spotifyor Apple podcasts, and if you enjoyed
today's episode, share it with afellow pet lover and leave us a review.
Lastly, be sure to stay tuned for moreinsights this week from our Trends
2025 miniseries, as well as futureepisodes on pet care innovation,
(29:33):
sustainability, and other hardhitting topics you won't want to miss.
We'd like to thank our dedicatedteam in support of this episode.
Ada-Miette Thomas, NeeleyBowden, Kait Wright, and Dr.
Katy Miller.
A special thanks to Lee AnnHagerty and Michael Johnson.
See you next time!
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