A Raw Take on the Future of Pet Food
Why healthy, natural pet food is here to stay
With 2020 finally behind us, I find myself thinking about another difficult and life-changing year… albeit for a completely different reason. In 2004, my Old English Sheepdog Max was suffering from crippling arthritis. He was my best friend. His love and loyalty helped me through some rough times, and I was determined to do everything I could to help him.
Endless vet visits and a host of prescription remedies failed to make much difference. He was suffering and I was running out of ideas. As a last resort, I took Max to a holistic vet. She asked me about Max’s diet. Like most dogs, Max ate kibble. But I couldn’t see why that would matter. Dogs eat dog food, right?
The holistic vet recommended making Max a natural diet with a mix of raw meat and vegetables. Like I said, I was desperate, so I did. Within a month, Max’s arthritis had all but disappeared. He had more energy and his mobility returned. Honestly, I was astounded. I started telling every dog owner I knew about Max’s transformation, encouraging them to feed their dogs the same way. The response I got was usually something like, “Gary, I can barely manage to cook for myself. Why can’t you do it for me?”
At the time, there were very few alternatives to kibble on the market. I realized there was an opportunity to help more dogs like Max and so, Darwin’s Natural Pet Products was born as the first direct-to-consumer, raw dog food company in the U.S.
As our company has grown, so has the market for natural pet food. We’ve gone from competing with kibble to competing with a host of venture-backed, natural pet food companies offering a whole range of healthier food options for dogs and cats. I will always advocate for a raw, ancestral diet, as it’s the best way to preserve vital nutrients that dogs and cats need. But, equally, I do think it is a positive sign that we see innovation in the industry and options beyond highly-processed kibble or canned food.
And although I can’t necessarily say I see a kibble-free future in the near term, I do believe we are on the cusp of a tipping point for natural pet food to become more mainstream — driven by a few, long-term trends.
Our society is becoming more health conscious.
A 2019 survey from the International Food Information Council found that 43% of Americans report always looking for healthy foods while grocery shopping. Americans are also taking more time to read what’s on the label, with 67% reporting that they frequently read the ingredients list.
With more people taking time to read the labels of their own food, they’re turning to the labels of what they’re feeding their pets, and often finding that their pet’s food is full of fillers and other synthetic, unhealthy ingredients. Instead of grabbing another bag of kibble, more and more pet owners are doing research of their own, asking friends and trying different types of food.
The “farm-to-table” movement has been growing since the early 2000s, and there are more options than ever to seek out locally-sourced food for yourself and your family. In fact, a in a 2018 Gallup poll, 73% of Americans reported actively taking steps to regularly include locally-grown foods in their diets.
Pet ownership is soaring.
It shouldn’t come as surprise that with more people staying home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are bringing pets into their home. However, the pandemic wasn’t the sole force behind this trend; pet ownership has steadily risen over the past decade. As of August 2020, 54% of U.S. households own at least one pet, according to research firm Packaged Facts.
The study also found that the number of American households with dogs has grown 36% since 2009. There are now approximately 49 million households with dogs, which accounts for 39% of pet-owning households.
The pet industry is booming
Each year, American pet owners set a new record on how much they spend on their pets. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) reported that Americans spent $95.7 billion on their pets in 2019. When the same study ran to gauge spending in 2017, the total was close to $70 billion .
Pet owners spent close to $37 billion on pet food and treats alone last year, and the APPA projects that to increase by at least 4% in 2020. The pet industry will continue to grow, so much so that it’s on track to hit nearly $100 billion by the end of this year
When I made the switch to raw for Max, he ended up living for five more years. That meant five more years of walks in the park, belly rubs and lots of love. Raw might seem like a non-traditional way to feed your pet, but it is literally life changing. And since 2004, we at Darwin’s have helped tens of thousands of pets and their owners enjoy more years of companionship together.
