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Fi Europe has published its ‘Staying on Top of Pet Food Trends’ e-magazine identifying the top three trends shaping pet nutrition in 2026: demand for natural pet food, protein sourcing tensions with sustainability, and preventative health support via supplements. The findings preview themes for the Fi Europe trade show, where a dedicated Pet Food & Nutrition Hub and Forum will run.
Fi Europe, the food ingredients trade event, has published a new report identifying the top three trends shaping pet nutrition in 2026: rising demand for natural pet food, tensions between premium protein demand and sustainability, and the growth of preventative, supplement-based health support. The e-magazine, titled Staying on Top of Pet Food Trends, offers manufacturers, brands and suppliers an overview of forces the organiser says are redefining product development, consumer behaviour and supply chain strategy across the pet food sector.
The report arrives amid analyst projections that the global pet food market will reach $263.8 billion by 2036, a forecast attributed to Future Market Insights’ 2025 Pet Food Market report. Building on last year’s Future of Pet Food report, the new e-magazine examines eight major trends in total, with three highlighted as the most significant for the year ahead.
The first identified trend is growing demand for “natural” pet food. According to the report, the increasing “humanisation” of pets — documented in Fi Global Insights’ 2025 analysis — means owners are prioritising their animals’ health in ways that mirror their own health consciousness. This is driving demand for foods free from artificial additives, preservatives and fillers. The report states that brands are expanding into raw and freeze-dried diets, human-grade recipes and functional treats targeting digestion, joint health and immunity.
The second trend concerns protein demand and its sustainability implications. The report notes that demand for premium muscle meats can challenge the environmental benefits of whole-animal utilisation and circular sourcing models, according to the Pet Sustainability Coalition. Alternatives including insect-based, fermentation-derived and hybrid formulations are gaining traction despite scaling hurdles, while traditional kibble continues to support lower greenhouse gas intensity, the report finds.
The third trend is preventative and proactive health support, with supplements becoming a core component of pet care as owners adopt condition-specific nutrition to support long-term health and manage veterinary costs. Guy Sandelowsky, co-founder and co-CEO of vet-founded pet food manufacturer Omni, states in the e-magazine that optimising a pet’s diet, including targeted nutritional add-ons, can deliver both health benefits and potential cost savings over time.
Implications for Pet Food Makers
The trends identified carry direct consequences for how pet food companies formulate, source and market products. A shift toward human-grade and natural ingredients pressures manufacturers to reformulate established product lines and adjust sourcing, while the tension between premium meat demand and sustainability goals raises unresolved trade-offs for supply chain strategy.
The projected market growth to $263.8 billion by 2036 signals commercial opportunity, but the report suggests the winners will be businesses that can balance consumer expectations of quality with environmental commitments — for instance, by incorporating novel proteins or co-product-based formulations. The framing of supplements as core rather than discretionary spending also widens the addressable market for functional nutrition products.
From Humanisation to Novel Proteins
Fi Europe, described as the world’s leading food ingredients event, published the e-magazine as a follow-up to its 2025 Future of Pet Food report, digging deeper into eight major trends across the category. The analysis draws on external research including Future Market Insights’ pet food market forecast and Fi Global Insights’ 2025 report on the humanisation of pet food.
The report also serves as a preview of the upcoming Fi Europe trade show, which will feature a dedicated Pet Food & Nutrition Hub and a new Pet Food & Nutrition Forum with expert-led sessions, exhibitor showcases, fireside chats, panel discussions and interactive experiences.
“The pet food industry is undergoing a genuine transformation, and it’s happening faster than some people realise. What we’re seeing is a shift from simply ‘feeding’ pets to actively optimising their health and longevity.”
— Yannick Verry, Fi Events Brand Director at Informa Markets
Open Questions on Protein and Scale
Several points in the report remain unresolved. The sustainability trade-offs around human-grade sourcing are presented as a challenge rather than a settled answer, with the Pet Sustainability Coalition’s assessment indicating that quality expectations and environmental goals may conflict.
Novel proteins such as insect-based and fermentation-derived ingredients are described as gaining traction despite scaling hurdles, but the report does not detail when or whether these alternatives will reach cost-competitive scale. The full agenda for the Fi Europe Pet Food & Nutrition Forum has not yet been released, and the market forecast to 2036 is a projection whose assumptions are not laid out in the published summary.
Trends Head to the Show Floor
The insights in the e-magazine will carry into the Fi Europe trade show later this year, where the Pet Food & Nutrition Hub and the new Pet Food & Nutrition Forum will host suppliers, innovators and thought leaders exploring trends and innovations across the category. Organisers say full agenda details will be announced in the coming months. The complete Staying on Top of Pet Food Trends e-magazine is available for download from Fi Europe.
Key Questions
What are the top three pet nutrition trends Fi Europe identified for 2026?
The report highlights growing demand for natural pet food free from artificial additives, tensions between premium protein demand and sustainability, and the rise of preventative and proactive health support through supplements and condition-specific nutrition.
How large is the global pet food market expected to become?
According to a Future Market Insights forecast cited in the report, analysts suggest the global pet food market will reach $263.8 billion by 2036. This is a projection, not a confirmed outcome.
What is driving demand for natural pet food?
According to Fi Global Insights research cited in the report, the humanisation of pets is leading owners to prioritise their animals’ health in ways that mirror their own health consciousness, boosting demand for foods without artificial additives, preservatives and fillers.
Why does premium protein raise sustainability concerns?
According to the Pet Sustainability Coalition, demand for premium muscle meats can undermine the environmental benefits of whole-animal utilisation and circular sourcing, since human-grade sourcing may overlook the efficiency of co-products and novel proteins.
Where can the full findings be explored?
The e-magazine Staying on Top of Pet Food Trends is available for download from Fi Europe, and the themes will be explored further at the Fi Europe trade show later this year through its Pet Food & Nutrition Hub and Forum. Full agenda details are pending.
Source: rss
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