Upcycled Animal Feed Market to reach USD 42.7 billion in 2030, at a CAGR of 7.2% | IMR

The Upcycled Animal Feed Market stood at USD 26.2 billion in 2023-e, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% through 2030 to reach USD 42.7 billion. Upcycled animal feed are sustainable animal feed alternative that uses waste and by-products from various sources. Upcycled animal feed is an emerging trend that is focused on environmental responsibility. There has been an increasing consumer inclination toward sustainable products. According to the WWF research published in 2021, there was about a 71% rise in the popularity of searches for sustainable goods over the past five years.

The demand for upcycled pet food is driven by the expanding pet food market and a growing consumer preference for sustainable animal feed. Animal feed manufacturers are actively expanding their portfolios to include products with lower environmental footprints as consumers are increasingly looking for more environmentally responsible products.

There’s a high burden of food waste from households and restaurants. According to the United Nations, an estimated 17% of total global food production is wasted in households, food service, and retail. The food waste that ends up in landfills produces a large amount of methane accounting for about 8% of greenhouse emissions.  This has brought to increasing focus of the organizations and governments to utilize food waste sources for upcycled animal feed market. For instance, in June 2022, Wastelink (India), a food upcycling startup utilizing food waste, secured seed funding of USD 1.2 million.

In recent years, owing to the increasing pet adoption trend globally, there has been a booming market for pet stores. A significant number of consumers prefer buying pet food at brick-and-mortar stores including general stores, supermarkets, and pet stores. Owing to this trend more and more retailers are expanding services intending to become one-stop shops for pet owners. This uptake in retail stores is anticipated to drive the offline segment in the upcycled animal feed market. 

The upcycled animal feed market is witnessing fast growth in Europe, specifically in countries such as UK, Germany, and France. The upcycled animal feed market is expected to witness significant growth owing to the rising food waste and increasing household expenditure toward pet food. According to the Eurostat, in the EU, over 58 million tons of food waste (131 kg/inhabitant) are generated annually.

Increasing government initiatives are driving the demand for upcycled animal feed. About 5 million tons of permissible surplus such as bread are already recycled into livestock feed by the former foodstuffs in the region. According to the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF), in 2022, the European pet food market grew to USD 31.1 billion with an average 5.1% annual growth rate during the last three years. It accounted for 10.5 million tons of pet food by volume in 2022. Thus, Europe is growing at significant CAGR in the upcycled animal feed market.

The key companies in the upcycled animal feed market are continuously striving to strengthen their portfolio to meet the growing demand. The companies are focused on increasing brand awareness among consumers and are actively looking for long-term contracts with the agriculture industry. Some of the key companies in the market are Bond Pet Foods, Cargill, Do Good Foods, International Ingredient Corporation, Kipster Farm, Mycorena, Purina, Phelps Pet Products, Shameless Pets, and Tyson Foods.