PROCESSING JBT FTNON: Adapting to a Rapidly-evolving Global Market by Steven Maxwell, food journalist and communications specialist, based in Mexico Joost Lotgerink Bruinenberg, global sales manager for JBT FTNON, gives his views on the current health of the pet food industry and explains why the existence of the Pet Food Competence Network makes processors’ lives easier. JBT FTNON, the company created after JBT Corporation acquired Food Technology Noord-Oost Nederland B.V. – better known as FTNON – in 2018, has a long history in delivering automated solutions for the pet food processing industry. With over 40 years’ experience in designing processing machines for a huge range of foods – human and animal alike – the company is wellplaced to respond to emerging trends in the fast-moving global pet food market, both as an individual company and as part of the Pet Food Competence Network. So where are we as an industry at the current time? The World Animal Foundation (2023) estimates that when it comes to domesticated animals there are close to 373 million cats and 471 million dogs worldwide, with an estimated 50% of households in Europe recorded as owning a pet. Not to be outdone, some 66% of households own one or more pets, according to analyst Statista, compared with 58% in 1988. And with worldwide revenue in pet food sales expected to reach US8.42 billion this year (Statista) with an annual growth rate of almost 5.8%, it becomes clear that there is a huge opportunity to be grasped for the companies with the right solutions. More growth to come According to Joost Lotgerink Bruinenberg, the Hengelo, Netherlandsbased global sales manager for JBT FTNON, the pet food industry experienced a big jump in turnover during the pandemic, especially in the wet cat and dog food segment, reflecting both the continuing growth of the segment and perhaps owners’ wish to pamper their pets in difficult circumstances. “Companies are still investing, the market is still developing and the opportunities for export are still there,” says Lotgerink Bruinenberg. “We expect to see some flattening of the curve next year and in 2027, but it’s still a healthy industry to be in.” But where is the real growth coming at the present time? When it comes to Europe, Lotgerink Bruinenberg believes it is time to look away from traditional Western European markets and concentrate instead on the eastern half of the continent. “If we look at the opportunities in Europe, we can see that the market is Photos: JJBT FTNON 28 Technology & Marketing
PROCESSING moving a little more towards Eastern Europe,” he says. “It’s been Germany, France, the UK in the past, but now it’s moved to the eastern part. “If we look at the US, they do things a little bit differently, and I think there are opportunities to make wet pet food in a different way, although that’s still at an investigation phase.” According to data from Euromonitor International, Latin America has emerged as a dynamic market for the pet food industry over recent years, with the region’s spending on the category as a whole exceeding the global average by an estimated 22%. Lotgerink Bruinenberg says sustainability on production lines is another big influencing factor for the pet food industry, particularly when it comes to cutting back on utility bills. “If you look at gas consumption and utility usage, gas is still a big thing on cooking products and also in sterilization, so maybe companies are looking for alternatives,” he believes. Luckily, there are reasons for optimism. The pouch industry continues to grow and there are other interesting trends that have emerged in recent years, such as an interest in alternative sources of protein or meat-like products. Lotgerink Bruinenberg anticipates that the current positive climate in Latin America will get better for the industry, echoing Euromonitor’s forecast that the region will be second only to Asia Pacific in expenditure terms by 2028. However, he believes further investment is required by Latin American pet food processors to keep pace with developments, revealing that investments in the region have been relatively low over the past two years. Meanwhile, Asia might be a giant for the pet food industry, but analysts at Statista say growth has slowed due to economic fluctuations, echoing Lotgerink Bruinenberg’s view that while there is still further development available, it is a little more difficult to identify. “If you look at Asia, there is potential there, but it is harder to say where,” he says. “Meanwhile, the pet food market in Europe is still growing and I think there is potential in Latin America.” Rising raw material prices Perhaps a factor that could impede this growth is reality of rising prices across the industry, and in particular the cost of raw materials, which Lotgerink Bruinenberg identifies as one of the biggest challenges for the industry as a whole. Inevitably, such cost rises get passed on to shoppers, with some analysts predicting that pet food prices could reach a new high by 2029. PERFECT FOR PETFOOD The cutters, grinders and mixer grinders from K+G Wetter: Efficient technology for the production of petfood. More hygiene, more shelf life, more quality. www.kgwetter.de Joost Lotgerink Bruinenberg, global sales manager for JBT FTNON, based in Hengelo, Netherlands I F F A 2 0 2 5 H A L L 8 . 0 , B O O T H D 9 6 Issue 2 2025 29
