Pet Food
Innovative Product Formats Changing Nutrition and Sustainability
We are developing novel pet food products including insect-based dry kibble and treats, extruded and baked vegan and plant-based product forms, personalized frozen/refrigerated meal kits, and fresh food products processed with High-Pressure Processing (HPP) to provide the very best nutritional benefits related to sustainability, and ease of use for consumers.
Pet Food Formulation & R&D Services
Innovative Product Formats Changing Nutrition and Sustainability
The pet food industry is moving toward emerging and novel formats such as insect-based foods, vegan/plant-based formats, personalized meal kits, and high pressure pasteurized (HPP) products due to sustainability and health focused nutrition, and general pet (humanization) trends. The insect-based pet food category will be worth USD 1.6 billion in 2025, effectively doubling to USD 4.15 billion in value by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%.
The global plant-based pet food market is estimated at USD 12.6 billion in 2025 and projected to grow with a CAGR of roughly 8.8%. The category for sustainable pet food is rapidly expanding and driven predominantly by eco-dry products and plant-based alternatives; currently estimated to be increasing at a CAGR of over 6%. These innovations are being developed for health needs while being ethical, sustainable, convenient to use and ideally suited to fit into a modern pet owner’s lifestyle.
Insect-based diets are resource efficient and nutrient-dense, vegan and plant-based options make ethical consumers and those who have pets with allergies feel comfortable with their purchase, personalized meal kits meet the needs of individual pets, and HPP is an excellent way to feed pets fresh food safely and with a longer shelf life. [2] Food Research Lab is equipped to help pet brands by delivering science-backed, sustainable product development in these growing segments, to capitalize on market opportunities while responding to consumer, environmental, and regulatory demands.
Scientific and R&D Approach
Our R&D approach for Novel & Emerging Pet Food Formats is based on science, technology, and consumer research:
Nutrient Proven Formulation
Tailored Formulations: Create insect-based, plant-based products, customized and HPP treated products enhanced for nutrition, digestibility, and specific health outcomes with stability of bioactive.
Product Development:
Delivery of a variety of formats to meet consumers demand for sustainability, health and convenience like kibble, treats, extruded/baked products, fresh meal kits, and HPP treated raw food.
Palatability and Acceptability:
Utilize flavor technologies and sensory trials ensuring acceptance across breeds and life stages.
Safety and Stability:
Knows that controlled manufacturing practices, extrusion, baking, and HPP are a safe means to ensure microbiological safety, nutrient stability and overall shelf life.
Regulatory Approval:
To support product development with similar consideration of international pet food regulations for market access, veterinary approval and/or regulatory approval.
Science Engineered:
Conveniently provides scientific development through both in vitro and in vivo, and clinical data to meet the health claims, easy optimization designed for life stage and breed, plus efficacy and safety.
- Sustainability: Insect protein significantly decreases environmental footprint compared with legacy proteins. Plant-based diets offer ethical, allergen-ready diets.
- Precision nutrition: Personalized meal kits deliver nutrients directly tailored to your pet’s unique needs—age, weight, health status—and support optimal well-being.
- Freshness and safety: HPP keeps nutrients and fresh attributes of the food at the same level without preservatives, so we can offer a shelf-stable product that is safe, minimally processed and nutritious.
- Versatility: Offered in several different formats such as dry kibble, crunchy treat, soft chew, frozen meals and refrigerate packs.
- Consumer alignment: These products align with consumer trends towards sustainability, being health-conscious and convenience to premium brands. [3]
We select ingredients based on bioavailability, functionality and consumer appeal –
- Insect meals and oils as a protein source for fatty acids and health benefits
- Fresh meats, vegetables and botanicals to round out functional meals and fresh meal kits
- Functional Prebiotic, Probiotic, Antioxidants and Omega-3 oils in all formats to support gut, immune and joint health.
- Natural flavors and textures are accounted for when designing for palatability and experience throughout available formats. [4]
- Mealworms and insect-based products may be offered as a regular meal, or as an ingredient.
- Plant based foods can also be offered as a regular meal or as an ingredient, depending on the formulation.
- A personalized meal kit should be fed based on a feeding recommendation for the portion size and pet profile, and if it is refrigerated, thaw properly.
- Mealworms or products preserved with High Pressure Processing (HPP) will need to be refrigerated after processing, and it’s important to follow packaging recommendations to ensure freshness over time.
- Always transition gradually if you have a new protein or change to a new type of diet.
- A veterinarian should be consulted based on your pet’s specific or unique health needs. [5] [6]
Targeted Product Formats
| Product Format | Description | Key Benefit |
| Dry Kibble (Insect-based) | Dry kibble made with insect protein meals (e.g., black soldier fly larvae) | A sustainable protein source, highly digestible and palatable |
| Treats (Insect-based) | Crunchy or soft snack with insect protein and oils | Nutrient dense and supports skin and gut health |
| Extruded or Baked (Vegan/Plant-based) | Plant proteins (e.g., peas, lentils, chickpeas) made by extrusion or baking | Ethical, hypo-allergenic, allergen friendly |
| Frozen/Refrigerated Portion Packs (Personalized Meal Kits) | Fresh or frozen meal in portions with fresh meats, veggies and bioactives | Convenience, precision nutrition and freshness |
| Raw/Fresh Pet Food (HPP Preserved) | Raw or fresh food preserved with HPP | Clean label preservation, nutrient retention and shelf life |
Life-Stage & Functional Nutrition
Puppies/Kittens
Adults Pet
Senior Pet
Therapeutic Fresh Meals
FRL Service Scope – Fresh / Cooked Pet Foods
| Service Area | Description |
| R&D & Innovation | Designing and reformulating new pet food formats that harness bioavailable ingredients with a clean-label focus |
| Custom Formulation | Development of insect-based, vegan, personalized and HPP-preserved pet foods created specific to species, breeds or health functions |
| Prototype Development | Prototype at pilot scale of the texture, flavors, stability, and retention of bioactives |
| Quality & Safety Testing | Microbial testing, water activity, oxidative stability, and active dosage evaluation of consistency |
| Regulatory & Labeling Support | Start to finish built-in support with regulatory compliance to relevant authorities (i.e. BIS, FSSAI, AAFCO, FEDIAF) including claims and labelling |
| Sensory & Palatability Trials | Conduct animal testing to ensure both acceptance & palatant efficacy across new formats |
| Packaging Solutions | Provide recommendations on moisture and oxygen barrier packaging systems to ensure maximum shelf-life |
| Scale-Up & Costing | Provide support process validation, scale-up for commercial production and cost-down/prevention of escalation process. |
Regulatory Landscape for Novel & Emerging Pet Food Formats
The various frameworks that comprise the current pet food regulations for novel and emerging formats, across the major pet markets, reflect a variety of approaches to safety, transparency, and innovation.
- United States: Animal feed safety and labeling are overseen by the FDA; model regulations are set by AAFCO. Proposed legislation, the PURR Act, would establish consistent federal regulation. Novel ingredients (e.g., insect protein) must demonstrate their safety via scientific substantiation to achieve GRAS status; with the Innovative FEED Act proposing a new pathway for innovative ingredients as food additives.
- Europe: Legal regulations of EFSA and FEDIAF regulate pet food, require scientific assessment for novel foods and additives, and clear labeling and new organic rules. Ingredient naming follows strict rules (e.g., “95%” or “25%”), and novel ingredients must be scientifically validated for safety and efficacy.
- India: BIS introduced a voluntary standard (IS 11968:2019); FSSAI regulates general food safety, yet there are gaps when it comes to novel formats. Novel ingredients require scientific substantiation, and their regulation is being continuously adapted.
Adherence to these changing standards ensures the safety of products, accurate labeling, and successful global market access.
Process flow
Ingredient Preparation
Testing for safety and quality: Ingredient sourcing, including insect meals (i.e., varying insect meals, such as grubs or larvae), plant proteins, fresh meats, and functional bioactives, from clean and vivid sources.
Formulation and Blending
Ensure that the ingredients are blended properly to achieve a homogenous distribution throughout the product, aside from the finished product format.
Processing into Product Format:
Our products are processed as dry kibble and treats (extruded or baked), personalized meal kits (chill/cook-freeze), and HPP products (raw/fresh, high-pressure processed).
Coatings and Actives
Cover or coat products for added flavor, incorporate actives (e.g. omega-3 oils, collagen), or antioxidants for effect, palatability, or product attractiveness.
Drying, Cooling & Packaging
Dry or chill products as required. Package immediately in product packaging with best integrity to moisture, oxygen and supportive shelf stability each product.
Quality & Shelf-life Testing
Each batch undergoes regulatory compliance checks for dosage, safety, and shelf-life, with additional protocols for novel technologies like HPP and extrusion for insect or plant-based ingredients.
Why Choose FRL
- Highly skilled, cross-functioning interdisciplinary team providing comprehensive R&D to commercialization support.
- Demonstrated experience in new proteins and unique processing.
- Strong regulatory knowledge for compliance and entry.
- Custom solutions at any scale, sustainable nutrition, and changing consumer trends.
- Focus on stabilized, nutritious, pet food products of high quality to meet changing demands.
Let’s create something Innovative and Delicious together
Food Research Lab strives for excellence in new Food, Beverage and Nutraceutical Product Research and Development by offering cutting edge scientific analysis and expertise.
