Pulses popular in pet food
From The Western Producer
Pulse crops are riding the anti-grain wave sweeping the pet world. Many North Americans are now buying expensive, grain-free food for their pets, based on the notion that grain is unhealthy for cats and dogs.
“It’s exactly like gluten-free…. Instead of saying gluten free, they’re saying grain free,” said Greg Aldrich, a pet nutrition and pet food processing expert at Kansas State University. “The grain free movement has become an easy way for pet owners to select a food that they think will not cause food hyper-sensitivity.”
“There’s a belief, by some, that corn, wheat and soy are naturally allergens to the dog or the cat,” he said. “It’s not true, but there’s a belief.”
Today’s consumers want what they think is best for their pets and will pay a lot for natural, organic or grain free pet food.
“It wasn’t many years ago, if you spent more than $50 on a bag of dog food, people thought you were (bonkers),” Aldrich said. “Now, it’s not unusual to buy a bag of dog for $100.”
The website www.petfoodindustry.com reported in 2012 that natural pet food and pet care products would reach nearly $10 billion by 2017, up from $4 billion in 2012.