Weight-management pet food lessons from human food diversification

Human health foods have diversified into a wide range of products meeting a variety of demands, and pet foods may follow similar strategies. Pet food makers could leverage insights from human food industries to drive new product development and differentiation in health, wellness and weight management products for pets.

“Lessons from the human food industry indicate that the weight management segment of the market tends to grow fast and is characterized by high product differentiation and premiumization,” scientists from Kansas State University wrote in the International Food and Agribusiness Management Review.

The researchers analyzed data from 1,173 dog owners and identified several feeding management factors influencing canine body condition.

• Caloric Intake: Higher-calorie diets correlate strongly with increased obesity risks, especially for smaller dog breeds, where weight gain has a proportionally larger impact.
• Feeding Frequency: More frequent feeding of smaller, lower-calorie meals is associated with healthier body conditions.
• Breed-Specific Needs: Smaller breeds show greater vulnerability to obesity, emphasizing the need for tailored nutritional solutions.
• Owner Perception: A significant percentage of owners underreport their dogs’ body condition, leading to feeding mismanagement.

Taking these factors into account, the study’s authors developed a set of potential avenues for differentiating weight management pet food products. The pet food market is crowded, and these strategies could help new items stand out or guide the rebranding of existing products.

1. Physical Product Changes

• Low-Calorie Preventive Options: Develop low-calorie formulations targeting obesity prevention.
• Breed-Specific Products: Customize formulations for small breeds, since it takes relatively less food to make a small animal gain weight than a large one.

“Findings indicate that smaller dog breeds are more likely to have higher body conditions and/or obesity levels,” the researchers wrote.

• Body-Condition Specific: Offer food for underweight, normal weight, or overweight pets.
• Pre-Packaged Meals: Offer portion-controlled, pre-packaged meals designed to encourage frequent feeding and portion accuracy.

2. Associated Service Change

• Consumer Outreach: Providing clear feeding guidelines, body condition visuals, and digital tools, via social media, websites and other channels, such as apps for body condition assessment and product recommendations.
• Packaging Education: Including information on optimal feeding regimens and the role of caloric management on health.

“The increased education may not only help pet owners understand the characteristics of their feeding management and dog genetic pre-disposition to be cautious of but may also potentially signal the companies’ compassion for the health and safety of the pets,” they wrote.

3. Perceptual Changes

“There is an opportunity for pet food companies to potentially provide a perceptual change in the eyes of customers of how to accurately predict their dog’s body condition,” they wrote.

• Marketing Adjustments: Highlighting product features that promote weight management, using visual aids and suggested feeding guidelines on packaging.
• Technology Integration: Developing apps or digital tools to assist in personalized pet nutrition planning.

“Additional technological offerings can potentially assist by asking pet owners to enter their dog characteristics into an app that could then provide accurate assessment and depiction of the dog’s body condition,” the scientists wrote.

Implications for Pet Food Companies

By targeting their marketing to health-conscious pet owners, pet food companies can position themselves as leaders in the health and wellness segment. The study’s findings support the development of products and services that address weight management through functionality, quality, and consumer education. While the sample is skewed toward health-conscious owners, the insights provide a foundation for broader applications in the general pet owner population.

The ongoing prevalence of pet obesity presents a veterinary challenge, but it also represents an opportunity for pet food companies. By focusing on innovation in product design, differentiation strategies and consumer education, the industry may address both market demand and pet health challenges. 

created by Tim Wall using DALL-E 4