This article was published in the November 2024 issue of Pet Food Processing. Read it and other articles from this issue in our November digital edition.
Sustainability has become a lofty goal for many in the pet food industry as a means to appease pet parents’ environmental concerns. But sustainability is evolving from solely focusing on environmental impacts to include responsible sourcing.
“Many pet food companies are setting decarbonization targets and recognizing that ingredient procurement is a significant, if not the largest, source of emissions,” said Allison Reser, director of sustainability and innovation at the Pet Sustainability Coalition, Boulder, Colo. “To meet these goals, companies must strategically source ingredients that produce fewer emissions or even contribute to soil regeneration and carbon sequestration.”
Responsible sourcing is nothing new, but as consumers continue to expect sustainability from their favorite pet food products, many processors are faced with the task of trying to understand what responsible sourcing means to them.
“It makes sense that as animal lovers, pet owners are increasingly concerned about farm animal welfare and are extra attuned to the standards of the pet food they buy,” detailed Maral Cavner, senior manager of corporate policy, Farm Animal Welfare, ASPCA. “Nearly nine out of 10 (87%) of those buying pet food reported being likely to switch to another brand of pet food if they knew the brand put more care into where they source their animal-derived ingredients.”
“Responsible sourcing is not only becoming increasingly popular and respected, it’s also an expected approach to business,” said Christine Mallier of Petcurean.
Christine Mallier, sustainability and community relations manager at Petcurean, Chilliwack, British Columbia, added, “Responsible sourcing can’t be defined as a trend as it is simply the right thing to do — in the 21st Century, there is simply no place in supply chains for things such as child labor; this must be eradicated. As such, responsible sourcing is not only becoming increasingly popular and respected, it’s also an expected approach to business.”
A holistic approach
Responsible sourcing takes sustainability many steps further, not only considering the environmental impacts of ingredients, but also animal welfare and social aspects — essentially taking a holistic view of ingredients and from where they are sourced.
“Responsible sourcing at Instinct means ensuring that the ingredients we use in our pet food are obtained in a way that is ethical and sustainable,” said Dave McCoy, director of strategic sourcing at Instinct Pet Food, Lincoln, Neb. “Ultimately, it’s about doing the right thing for our pets and the planet.”
Many pet food manufacturers have turned toward ingredients that carry environmental certifications, like those offered by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Ocean Wise, the Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.), and many others.
Instinct Pet Food uses MSC-certified, wild-caught Alaskan Pollock in its Raw Longevity Wild-Caught Alaskan Pollock dog food formula as part of its responsible sourcing practices.
| Source: Instinct Pet Food
For example, Instinct uses wild-caught Alaskan Pollock from fisheries certified by the MSC, a global non-profit striving to end overfishing and ensure that seafood is fished sustainably. Today, all fish used at the company’s Lincoln facilities is MSC-certified.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Overland Park, Kan., also uses MSC-certified, wild-caught Alaskan Pollock in its popular Science Diet Sensitive Stomach and Skin line, which also includes novel and sustainable protein sources. According to Nick Rozzi, Ph.D., vice president, product development at Hill’s, utilizing this ingredient helps reduce carbon footprints.
“Hill’s is focused on responsibly sourcing ingredients, ensuring traceability, and certification from organizations like the MSC, Marine Trust and Friends of the Sea, to meet sustainability standards,” he added.
Petcurean sources marine microalgae from a partner that is both ASC- and MSC-certified to ensure high standards for sustainable fishing.
Open Farm, Toronto, also uses MSC-certified seafood. Additionally, all the company’s seafood ingredients are required to be sustainably sourced, either recommended by Ocean Wise or ASC- or MSC-certified.
“Responsible sourcing at Open Farm is rooted in the idea that there is a continuous link between land, animals and people — where doing good for one, leads to good for others,” said Jacqueline Prehogan of Open Farm.
“Responsible sourcing at Open Farm is rooted in the idea that there is a continuous link between land, animals and people — where doing good for one, leads to good for others,” explained Jacqueline Prehogan, co-founder and chief brand officer of Open Farm. “… The concept comes to life through the Open Farm Promise under which we commit to source meat ingredients according to strict animal welfare standards, sourcing seafood responsibly and maintaining strict ingredient standards.”
According to Prehogan, responsible sourcing has been part of Open Farm’s ethos since the very beginning.
“We believe responsible sourcing has benefits for the plant, the animals in our supply chain, and by doing this we can make better pet food, so it’s a win-win,” Prehogan added. “It is firmly integrated into how we create our recipes, select suppliers, and is ultimately part of the authentic storytelling that we are proud to share with pet parents to give them piece of mind that they are making the right choice for their pet and the planet.”
Exploring innovation
To advance responsible sourcing practices, the industry is also turning toward innovation in the form of new ingredients and technologies. Novel proteins, like insects, are offering opportunities.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition uses insects raised in North America in its Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin dog recipe. Realizing the continued need for more sustainable proteins, Hill’s has also been exploring innovative technologies in collaboration with Bond Pet Foods, Boulder, Colo., a developer of fermented animal proteins.
Petcurean has incorporated black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in its Go! Solutions Sensitivities Limited Ingredient Gain-Free Insect Recipe for dogs. Additionally, the company incorporates upcycled ingredients in its Go! Solutions Benefit Chews, allowing it to help reduce waste.
“We have taken several impactful measures to make a difference as a company,” Mallier shared. “These include collaborating closely with our manufacturing partners and ingredient suppliers, and conducting a comprehensive analysis of our key suppliers where we identified critical areas and risks related to biodiversity loss, waste production, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and water usage.”
“Regenerative agriculture is still a relatively new concept in the pet food industry, and manufacturers are increasingly beginning to communicate its wide range of benefits,” said Martin Williams of Above Food Ingredients.
Innovations in farming are also cropping up, specifically regenerative agriculture.
“Regenerative agriculture is still a relatively new concept in the pet food industry, and manufacturers are increasingly beginning to communicate its wide range of benefits,” detailed Martin Williams, co-founder and vice president of consumer products, Above Food Ingredients, Regina, Canada. “Regeneratively produced ingredients can significantly benefit the environment by reducing the use of chemicals, fertilizers and fuel in the supply chain, optimizing water use, and increasing carbon sequestration in the soil.”
Along with environmental pluses, regenerative agriculture also proves beneficial to stabilizing supply chains, increasing crop yields and leading to more profitable farms. By improving soil health, regenerative agriculture also creates more nutritious and high-quality ingredients, according to Williams.
As a food ingredient company, Above Food Ingredients has a deep commitment to regenerative agriculture. The company works closely with farmers to ensure that grains it uses are grown, harvested and processed responsibly.
A long-time champion of regenerative agriculture, Canidae’s All Life Stages pet food line is formulated with regeneratively farmed ingredients.
| Source: Canidae
“Regenerative agriculture means different things to different people, which is natural at this early stage of awareness in the market,” Williams said. “Some prioritize the environmental aspect and focus on how regenerative agriculture practices create a net carbon sink, reduce the use of chemicals, or reduce total water usage. For others, regenerative agriculture is primarily about food traceability, which is also increasingly important to consumers and has been shown to drive trust and loyalty for brands that go above and beyond the standard food labeling requirements to provide detailed ingredient and sourcing information.”
Canidae, Stamford, Conn., is a champion for regenerative agriculture. Many of the company’s plant-based pet food ingredients are sourced from US farmers that prioritize regenerative agriculture practices. The company has also partnered with Cheney, Kan.-based Greenfield Robotics, a company using weed-cutting robots to eliminate chemicals from the supply chain. Through their partnership, Canidae incorporates Greenfield’s regenerative crops into its pet food formulas, like its All Life Stages line.
“By using high-quality, regeneratively farmed ingredients, we ensure that our products provide superior nutrition and taste, promoting the health and wellbeing of pets,” explained Johanna Tulfer, brand director at Canidae. “Regenerative farming practices help sequester carbon back into the soil, enriching it and producing nutrient-dense, wholesome food.”
Tapping resources
Responsible sourcing wouldn’t be possible without partnerships with ingredient suppliers and associations.
For those looking to begin their responsible sourcing journeys, Reser recommends that companies conduct a materiality assessment from which they can create a “Supplier Code of Conduct,” which establishes minimum standards, assesses supplier performance and more.
Petcurean’s Supplier Code of Conduct holds its Tier 1 suppliers accountable for specific social and environmental performance, and also covers biodiversity loss, waste production, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water usage and child labor.
As part of its responsible sourcing initiatives, Petcurean has incorporated novel ingredients, like insects, and upcycled ingredients into its pet foods and treats.
| Source: Petcurean
“We work with a select network of trusted suppliers, use source verification to authenticate the ingredient’s origin, and evaluate the environmental impact of the ingredients we use, so that we can choose an alternative ingredient, if needed,” Mallier explained.
Hill’s works in close collaboration with its suppliers, supporting them in an effort to benefit the industry.
“We are actively partnering with our suppliers to identify ways to lower the carbon footprint across various ingredients, including grains and animal proteins,” Rozzi said. “Much of this work will involve finding ways to support farmers as they transition to regenerative and alternative farming practices.”
Not only are supplier partnerships key, but so are those with associations, like the PSC and the ASPCA.
The PSC developed its Blueprint to Responsibly Sourcing Animal Proteins guide and recently announced a partnership with HowGood to help processors make data-driven decisions when sourcing ingredients.
The ASPCA offers its expertise to the pet food industry, connecting manufacturers with more humane producers. Through its Higher Welfare Pet Food Initiative, the ASPCA promotes animal welfare and responsible sourcing.
“It’s impossible for processors to truly achieve responsible sourcing without verifying that the farms in their supply chain are addressing the most critical welfare concerns for each animal used in food production,” Cavner said.
Consumers will continue to enforce their environmental values onto the products they purchase for their four-legged children, therefore, the importance of responsible sourcing will only continue to flourish.
“By embracing sustainable solutions, we’re not only meeting consumer expectations but also strengthening our commitment to doing what’s right for the future,” Tulfer concluded.
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