Ways to Reduce Costs in Wet Pet Food

Why Does the Need for Cost Reduction Arise?

Due to competition, all pet food manufacturers want Cost reduction and it can be achieved through optimizing usage of gels and thickeners only. So, they need to review the recipe cost and also look to scope if there is any reduction in cost possibility in wet pet food. But product developer has to balance many factors like product appearance with texture, digestibility, and quality. These factors can often limit the scope, but cost reduction can often be achieved through optimizing the usage of gels and thickeners.

How to Gel perfectly with low cost? 

In wet pet food gels and thickeners fulfill a wide range of process and product roles. Carrageenan has fantastic properties and it is a great material. In wet pet food, arguably the synergistic interaction between kappa-carrageenan, it forms a weak, brittle gel in the presence of potassium ions. But with a non-gelling hydrocolloid like cassia gum-to form elastic gels is the most important functionality. The problem with carrageenan is its’s price is very high and it has also many applications. In addition, carrageenan price also has a high variation due to the effects of the naturally occurring phenomenon. Nowadays the sea temperature in the world increases. This affects the growth of commercial seaweed-used for manufacturing kappa-carrageenan-and gives rise to shortages. Therefore, optimization of gels and thickeners offers many opportunities in cost reduction, and also bringing additional benefits with it like palatability, product quality, and fecal quality.

Let’s make it right 

Cassia Gum Powder which is a cost-effective gelling agent can be used with Carrageenan to reduce cost and improve the gelling system in wet canned pet food. This is applicable to all product formats where these ingredients are used. When a lack of fundamental understanding of the gel’s functionality exists, it is possible to create a completely gelled texture in a chunks-in-gravy format, not what the customer expects! The Pet food industry needs a holistic approach and minimizes risk in product quality, customer satisfaction, and with their brands but they also need a holistic approach covering the whole supply chain from the raw material vendor. Factors, as mentioned above, can be applied to all types of format of wet pet food, and based on these factors producers can consider cost optimization of thickeners and also minimize and control the risks.

Best Opportunity to Look for Gels and Thickeners

With scientific principles, the pet food industry applies a holistic approach than significant cost savings are achievable. As pet food producers look to ride out the effects of the global economic downturn and save money to reinvest in their products and facilities, arguably there isn’t a better time to look at gels and thickeners. It can also be noticed that the benefits of improved palatability and the fecal quality of the products can be experienced by the pets too.