Content Spotlight
'I have learnt so much from indigenous and traditional approaches to health’ – Dr Vivien Rolfe [Interview]
Dr Vivien Rolfe is a gut physiologist who specialises in herbal and nutritional interactions with the human body.
Natural pet supplements are gaining momentum as owners increasingly look for ways to enhance their animal companions’ health and wellbeing, mirroring trends in human nutrition.
The market for natural, functional ingredients is also growing, driven by a growing understanding of the connection between nutrition and overall health.
Brands are responding with innovative products that incorporate supplements into pet diets, both to support existing health and to prevent future issues.
According to Euromonitor International, the global pet dietary supplements market has grown by 7% annually over the past five years, reaching $2.1 billion (€1.92 billion) in 2023. North America remains the largest market at $834 million (€762 million), while Asia-Pacific is emerging as the fastest-growing region, with sales reaching $637 million (€582 million) last year.
Innova Market Insights also reports that pet supplements have seen significant growth, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% between 2018 and 2022.
Dog and cat supplements showed the most significant rise, with an 84% increase in new product launches. Functional claims such as digestive health, immunity, and joint support are increasingly prevalent, reflecting the growing demand for supplements that address specific health concerns.
The use of supplements is especially relevant in Asia-Pacific, where digestive health is a major concern. Mintel reports that 24.5% of pet food product launches in the region in 2023 carried digestive health claims, underlining the growing awareness of gut health and its impact on overall wellness.
Prebiotics and probiotics, key functional ingredients for supporting gut health, have seen a steady rise in both pet food and supplement formulations.
“The rise in prebiotic and probiotic claims is part of a broader trend toward clean formulations and gut health,” said Luke Santos, household care and brand analyst at Mintel. “Pet owners are increasingly recognising that gut health is not only essential for digestion but also for immunity and overall wellbeing.”
A key driver behind the rise of natural pet supplements is the “humanisation” of pets. As owners treat their pets more like family members, they look for the same quality of care and nutrition they expect for themselves.
Gabriel Guedes, COO and CFO of Lyka, an Australian company specialising in fresh pet meals, believes this trend will only strengthen in the future.
“The humanisation of pets is leading to an increased demand for healthier diets, allowing them to live longer, better lives,” he said.
He sees novel supplements, therapeutic diets, and different cooking methods all as “experiments within the same trend”.
In addition to physical health, there is growing attention to pets’ mental health and emotional wellbeing, particularly among younger pet owners.
Anxiety and stress in pets are becoming more widely recognised, leading to a rise in products and supplements aimed at reducing these issues. According to Mintel, 19% of “pet parents” report anxiety as a medical condition that their pets suffer from, with demand growing for supplements that promote calmness and mental clarity.
Products with natural ingredients known for their calming properties, like botanicals, are increasingly being incorporated into pet diets or as supplements.
Dr Susan Wynn is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and the senior director of scientific affairs at US-based raw pet food company Instinct Pet Foods. The company’s philosophy centres on providing minimally processed, natural ingredients to improve pet health and longevity.
Wynn explained how it incorporates these kinds of ingredients into its formulas. The Instinct Raw Longevity line, for example, includes probiotics, along with fruits, vegetables, and seeds for prebiotic support, for ideal gastro-intestinal health.
“We have also made use of botanicals in the senior diet – lemon balm for cognitive support and turmeric for mobility,” she said. “Many bioactive compounds in raw diets, such as those found in certain plants, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can benefit both cognitive function and stress reduction in pets.”
Similarly, Lyka is focused on providing holistic nutrition that addresses both physical and emotional wellbeing. Guedes explained that the company is innovating with functional ingredients to support a wide range of health concerns.
“We are constantly following the latest science in functional ingredients, in both humans and pets,” he said. “For instance, we incorporate turmeric for joint health and fish oils for heart health, which are key ingredients in helping pets live healthier, longer lives.”
Brands with a consistent approach that focus on functional, science-backed ingredients are well positioned to thrive in this space.
Guedes noted: “The companies that will win in this area are not those who come up with the innovation in a specific space, but those who have a clear mission and value proposition to customers – and can be consistent over time on what they stand for.”
Raw diets have gained in popularity due to their focus on minimally processed ingredients, which proponents claim retain more natural nutrients than traditional, ultra-processed pet foods.
Many pet owners believe that raw diets are more biologically appropriate, preserving the full nutritional value of ingredients, and therefore reducing the need for the traditional way of supplementing that is required in processed foods.
Wynn explained that raw diets naturally retain more essential nutrients. The loss of some nutrients like essential B vitamins and amino acids during the high-temperature cooking process is well known, and is often already taken into account in the formulation of daily pet food.
However, raw diets could maintain a much larger variety of bioactive compounds – nutrients that are not typically included in processed pet foods.
“The excitement around nutrient retention in minimally processed food is the retention of other bioactive substances – the ones the pet food industry isn’t actively measuring, studying, or supplementing when lost in processing,” said Wynn.
A shift towards less processed pet foods could mean less demand for supplements, as pets move towards a more nutritious diet, resulting in fewer health problems.
On the other hand, a greater understanding of food ingredients could offer opportunities for targeted nutritional products that draw on their nutritional benefits.
“Food contains much more than 40-odd essential nutrients – any single ingredient potentially contains thousands of compounds,” Wynn said. “We are still discovering the benefits of most phytochemicals in plant-based foods, for instance, [which] are well known to have benefits in the prevention of cancer, maintenance of ideal blood sugar levels, suppressing inflammation, and lots more.”