The global pet food market is evolving fast and wet pet food continues to lead the charge. Pet owners now expect the same standards of taste, nutrition, and quality from pet food as they do from their own.
For producers, this means designing smarter, cleaner, and more flexible production processes that deliver consistency at scale.
At Selo, we call it intelligent manufacturing — where technology and expertise work together to help producers make more, waste less, and adapt faster.
5 key trends to watch
1. Clean labels and transparent ingredients
- Pet owners want short, simple ingredient lists with clear sourcing and minimal additives.
- Producers are reformulating to eliminate unnecessary stabilizers and preservatives.
- Precise temperature control and gentle heat treatment enable natural freshness and safe shelf life, without compromise.
2. Sustainability beyond packaging
- Environmental impact now extends beyond materials to the full production chain.
- Energy efficiency and water reduction are becoming key differentiators.
- Selo’s steamtunnel technology — which revolutionized wet pet food cooking, uses condensing steam for consistent results, lower energy use, and superior nutrient retention. Recovered fats and oils are reused to reduce both waste and operating costs.
3. Texture, taste, and visual appeal
- Pet owners expect food that looks, smells, and feels real, rich in texture and natural in color.
- Continuous cooking and filling systems maintain chunk integrity and control viscosity — a standard that’s here to stay.
- Delivering a premium appearance and taste, batch after batch, is an expectation, now more than ever before.
4. Automation for precision and uptime
- Automation is redefining quality control in modern production.
- Smart recipe management, self cleaning systems (CIP), and real-time monitoring reduce human error and downtime.
- Enhanced data traceability supports compliance and consistent product standards globally.
5. Flexibility to meet market diversity
- From grain-free to functional and high-protein diets, product variety is expanding fast.
- Modular, scalable lines allow quick adaptation to new recipes or capacity changes.
- Flexibility is becoming the new efficiency — helping brands respond to consumer trends without costly reconfiguration.
The year ahead.
The future of wet pet food lies in innovation that unites quality, sustainability, and intelligence. Producers who invest in advanced technology and trusted partnerships will set the pace for the industry.