How Spoiled Cats & Dogs Are Taking Over From Human Consumers

Not only is tuna loved by humans all over the world, but the fish is also a desired mealtime option for our four-legged companions. Pet parents are increasingly spending on their canine and feline friends, with pet food products containing tuna growing in popularity in several major markets. This development is something that the industry anticipated, and one of the biggest names in the tuna business, Thai Union, even runs a separate pet food division. 

With nearly 40 percent of all American households owning at least one pet, cats and dogs should not be underestimated as potential new tuna consumers. Tuna is seen by pet owners as a healthy treat for their animals, just as they consider it for themselves. And people are becoming increasingly focused on what exactly they put in the food bowl of man’s best friend, creating an optimal market condition for the protein and omega-3 rich tuna ingredient.

In wealthier countries, pets are increasingly being treated to a luxurious lifestyle, where dry kibble for dinner every day is becoming a thing of the past. This trend has been linked to fewer people choosing to have children, and more waiting to have kids later in life. Instead, some couples have been taking in a puppy or a kitten.

Bob Bamberg, a representative from the US pet food brand Earthborn Holistic explains to Atuna that one of the reasons why premium pet food is a growing trend is the “humanization of pets,” which he explains is a phenomenon “that sees pet owners elevating the status of pets to that of a full family member.”

He says that some might even sacrifice their own wants and needs to the benefit of their pets. Bamberg explains that some pet owners now spend what more casual pet owners would call “an inordinate amount of money” on their four-legged friends.

On the webshop of the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, a 5oz (4oz drained weight) StarKist chunk light can of skipjack tuna sells for USD 1.65, which equates to USD 0.33 per oz. In comparison, a 3oz can of Purina Fancy Feast grilled tuna in gravy costs USD 1.48, or USD 0.50 per oz, without the species or exact amount of tuna being detailed. It should be noted that the chunk light reference only has four ingredients; light tuna, water, vegetable broth and salt. On the other hand, the cat food can contains a range of additional ingredients such as fish broth, wheat, liver, chicken, meat byproducts, corn starch-modified, artificial flavors and a list of other supplements and vitamins.

It is also very easy to spot the difference in the designs of the two cans. Whereas the StarKist can has a very simple design, which is the case across the references for the US big 3 brands, the Fancy Feast can is decorated with fine calligraphy and has a more expensive appearance, with the addition of a well-groomed cat on the front. Additionally, the cat food product also has a luxury ring pull, while a can opener is needed to open the standard chunk light reference.

But why are cats not fed the same quality tuna that humans consume? A feline would just as easily go for regular chunk light. Veterinarians, however, argue that basing a cat’s diet solely on tuna would not provide sufficient nutrition, explaining why the tuna in a cat food product is mixed with other ingredients such as meat, chicken, and grains, which together contribute to a more balanced meal. It is also possible for pet owners themselves to create food for their cats by mixing regular tuna with other ingredients themselves. However, a ready-to-serve cat food product provides the convenience that is increasingly in demand among shoppers.

Pet food made with tuna is better suited for cats, as dogs are not too keen on the flavor. Although some dog food brands do contain tuna, other fish types such as salmon and whitefish are more commonly used in the production of canine food.

Some cat food is made with the same quality tuna as would be used in products for human consumption, both in terms of species and what parts of the fish are used. However, a large proportion of it is manufactured with black meat, which is in little demand for human consumption. But consumers in some countries like Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Solomon Islands for example, specifically demand black meat tuna, both for its distinct taste and high nutrition, as well as its cheaper cost compared to tuna white meat. As with most tuna cat food, tuna black meat is also supplied by canners in Thailand, indicating that part of the black meat that previously would have been sent to PNG, is now instead going to our feline friends. Cat food made with black meat also carries a heftier price tag than black meat for human consumers, meaning that profits for Thai canners will be more significant.

These cats might also be taking away food from consumers with a lower budget in other countries such as the US as well, where lower-quality shredded skipjack, often used in cat food, is chosen over more premium variants by shoppers with lower incomes.

Whereas the tuna served to cats is white or black meat, pet parents are increasingly becoming concerned over the nutrition of what ends up in the bellies of their felines. “Many think that ‘because I like it, my pet will like it’ or because ‘if it’s good for me it’s good for my pet,’” Bamberg says.

The world’s leading tuna canner, Thai Union is a major supplier to the big names in the pet food business, Mars and Nestlé, which own the household cat brands Whiskas and Friskies. Its own specialized pet food division named PetCare, states that tuna pet food is a rising business, both in Asia and beyond.

“We recognize the growth opportunity of the pet food industry within the region and further afield as pet owners seek to purchase higher quality, more nutritious food for their pets,” says Paul English, Thai Union’s Group President for the pet food division, to Atuna.

He adds that since there is a high consumption of fish in countries such as Japan, China and several ASEAN member nations, cat owners in these markets choosing to feed their cats with tuna is a natural thing. He says that several ASEAN importers are doubling their purchases of pet food products, as a greater number of pet owners in this region are starting to feed their pets manufactured products rather than table scraps, which he emphasizes often have less nutritional value.

When it comes to why tuna seems to be increasingly popular in pet food, English explains that the nutritional composition of tuna is “on par or better than most land based proteins”. He adds that tuna contains many essential nutrients and omega oils that are beneficial to pets.

Even though progression is being seen, English states that since tuna is predominantly found in cat food, and given that pet owners tend to feed their pets a variety of different foods and flavors, there are limits to how much tuna can grow within the pet food business.

He says that for Thai Union to continue to see development in the pet food sector, its PetCare division will keep focusing on delivering innovative and premium pet food products “that meet the requirements of both the pet and pet owner. This includes the consistent delivery of great taste pets want while ensuring they are receiving the nutrition they need.”
An elevated focus on health from pet parents is being welcomed by Thai canners, who have lately been looking at ways to diversify their business with raw material prices having risen in recent times. Pet food is one option for alternative production, coming under the value added umbrella.

Canners in Thailand are the world’s biggest suppliers of pet food containing tuna, and in 2016, exports of pet food products packed in the nation improved by eight percent year on year, reaching a tonnage of almost 70,750.

The US pet food market would suffer without Thai imports, as there are few canneries in the US that can supply this kind of product, which most often come in cans with a pull tab, tubs, trays and pouches, Bamberg explains. He adds that such production in the US is difficult, both because processors do not have the capacity to make it in the right kind of packaging, as well as there being a limitation in the domestic supply of raw material needed for pet food, most notably fish and poultry.

When it comes to sustainability, Bamberg says that he does not think it is a major concern of consumers in regards to pet food. “While there is a certain level of distrust of large companies, I think most pet owners are generally satisfied that the ingredients in their pet food are sustainable.” There are pet food products that carry sustainability labels such as MSC. For example, in the UK, selected cat food references from the Mars Petcare owned brand Sheba are MSC certified, with the vast majority of these containing tuna.

Although pet food is not likely to become the main priority for the tuna industry any time soon, pets are increasingly important customers for the fish. And in some cases they are becoming an even more significant target than human consumers, especially for black meat tuna, with processors making more money by selling this to spoiled pets than to low-income consumers.

Pet food is still a small business compared to tuna destined for human consumption, but the trends of people caring more and more for their pets, and “humanizing” them, is a tendency likely to stick with pet owners in the long term. The increased health concern, as well as more money spent on animal companions, is something the tuna sector should keep in mind when trying to find ways to diversify business.