Pet Food in the US, 20th Edition

A Growing Market With a New Mix of Winners

Pet food remains the least discretionary part of the pet market, but the sources of growth are shifting. Fresh formats, cat-focused innovation, e-commerce, subscriptions, functional nutrition, and flexible feeding are gaining importance as consumers balance elevated prices with their desire to provide foods their pets enjoy and that support long-term health.

Key Themes Covered in this Report:

• What is behind projected 2026 sales and which formats are gaining share
• How declining dog ownership and expanding cat ownership are changing product opportunities
• The rise of fresh, freeze-dried, air-dried, baked, kibble-plus, and supplemental feeding formats
• How affordability, palatability, ingredient quality, and health benefits interact at the point of purchase
• The growing influence of e-commerce, autoship, subscriptions, direct-to-consumer brands, and private label
• Opportunities in functional, science-based, veterinary, life-stage, human-grade, sustainable, and animal-welfare-positioned foods

US retail sales of dog and cat food are projected to top $57 billion in 2026, increasing 4.3% from 2025. Growth is strengthening from the previous year as inflation edges upward again, fresh pet food continues to expand, and cat food continues to outperforms dog food. Dog food remains the larger market, accounting for roughly 65% of sales, but dog ownership pressures are limiting growth. Cat-owning households, by contrast, have expanded, and cat owners increasingly want products designed specifically with cats in mind, targeting feline nutrition, palatability, hydration, urinary health, and healthy aging.

The market is also shifting by format and channel. Dry food still represents about 60% of retail sales, but its share is declining as wet and frozen/refrigerated products gain ground. Fresh pet food is the standout opportunity, gaining share each year. Freeze-dried, air-dried, baked, kibble-plus, and flexible-feeding formats offer additional ways to deliver premium benefits with shelf stability and more manageable costs. E-commerce leads retail pet food sales, supported by home delivery, subscriptions, autoship programs, direct-to-consumer brands, and omnimarket expansion.

Affordability remains a defining challenge. In Packaged Facts’ August 2026 Survey of Pet Owners, 77% of pet owners expressed concern about rising pet food prices, up from 66% in September 2025. Yet price is only one part of the purchase decision: whether a pet will eat and enjoy the food ranks first, while ingredient quality, health and wellness benefits, brand reputation, and veterinary recommendations also matter. Marketers therefore need to demonstrate value without sacrificing palatability, nutrition, convenience, or trust.

Pet Food in the US, 20th Edition provides a data-rich analysis of market size and growth, formats, species, channels, marketers and brands, product development, and consumer buying patterns. The report examines fresh and alternative formats, functional and science-based nutrition, life-stage and condition-specific formulas, human-grade positioning, sustainability and animal welfare, private label, artificial intelligence, meal enhancements, subscription purchasing, and brand loyalty. Findings draw on proprietary Packaged Facts surveys conducted in January 2026 and August 2026, MRI-Simmons consumer data, government statistics, syndicated data, company reporting, and industry sources.

Pet Food in the US Report Details

Leading Companies Driving Trends in the Pet Food Industry

Fresh Food Changes the Growth Equation

Refrigerated and frozen pet food is making an outsized contribution to market growth. These products appeal to consumers seeking gently cooked foods, recognizable ingredients, and alternatives to conventional kibble. Major marketers are entering or expanding in the category alongside fresh-food specialists, while broader retail distribution is making the format easier to find. Affordability remains the central constraint, especially for larger dogs, which is why mixers, partial feeding plans, smaller packages, and shelf-stable alternatives are increasingly important.

Cats Move Closer to Center Stage

Cat food has outperformed dog food every year since 2023. The shift reflects both growth in cat-owning households and weakness in dog ownership, but it also reveals unmet demand. Cat owners are calling for more products designed around feline needs, including hydration, urinary health, digestive support, healthy aging, premium wet foods, and appealing textures. Brands that combine species-specific nutrition with strong palatability may be best positioned to convert dissatisfaction into growth.

Value Means More Than a Low Price

Concern about pet food prices increased sharply in 2026, but consumers do not evaluate value on price alone. Owners also consider whether their pets will eat the food, ingredient quality, health and wellness benefits, brand reputation, and veterinary recommendations. Marketers can respond with economical formulations, private label, promotions, smaller packages, supplemental feeding strategies, and clearer explanations of nutritional benefits. Sampling and trial sizes are especially useful because palatability can determine whether a first purchase becomes a lasting feeding routine.

Nutrition Claims Become More Specific

Functional and science-based foods are moving beyond broad wellness language toward digestive health, immune support, skin and coat condition, mobility, weight management, healthy aging, and other defined needs. Interest in research-backed nutrition is high, creating opportunities for veterinary expertise, transparent substantiation, and carefully targeted ingredients. The strongest products will make credible benefits easy to understand while maintaining convenience and affordability.

Report Scope

The report quantifies US retail sales of dog and cat food in dry, wet or canned, frozen or refrigerated, and semi-moist formats across e-commerce, mass-market, pet specialty, direct-to-consumer, and other retail channels. It also analyzes meal toppers, add-ins, fresh and gently cooked foods, freeze-dried and air-dried products, baked foods, kibble-plus formats, functional and condition-specific formulas, veterinary and science-based diets, life-stage foods, natural and human-grade positioning, indulgent foods, US sourcing, cat-specific products, and meal enhancements.

Competitive coverage encompasses marketer concentration, brand usage and loyalty, acquisitions, investments, manufacturing capacity, fresh-food activity, retailer strategies, rewards, subscriptions, private label, buy now pay later, and the veterinary channel. Consumer analysis explores food type and formulation usage, feeding practices, brand switching, packaging, ingredient and sustainability claims, household income, generation, geography, pet type, and other demographics. Treats, chews, supplements, non-food supplies, and food for pets other than dogs and cats are excluded from market sizing.