The Future of Freeze Dried
Pet humanization and wellness trends are converging around the functional benefits of freeze-dried food, helping drive growth in the category. The global pet freeze-dried category is projected to reach up to $3.22 billion by 2033, expanding at a CAGR between 9.2 percent and 12.1 percent.
“One of the greatest growth opportunities in the freeze-dried premium food category is the continued shift from using freeze-dried products only as toppers or treats to using them as a complete feeding solution,” said Ashton Hood, CEO of Shepherd Boy Farms.
“Today’s economic factors have certainly made consumers more thoughtful about how they spend, especially when it comes to premium diets. However, we are also seeing that education plays a major role in how pet parents evaluate value. When consumers understand the quality of ingredients, the benefits of minimal processing and the role nutrition can play in supporting overall health and quality of life, they begin to see freeze-dried food differently.”
Heather Govea, CEO of Carnivore Meat Company, which includes consumer brands Vital Essentials and VE RAW BAR, discussed how pet parents are being intentional when spending money.
“Here is what I keep seeing: nutrition is one of the last places they cut. When you understand that better food is preventative care, spending more on what goes in the bowl starts to feel like spending less at the vet. That is where our growth lives. Prioritizing ingredients is key. Pet parents are reading labels. They want real, recognizable ingredients and they want to know how the product was made.”
“The pet industry as a whole is moving towards fresher foods, which is great. I love the language around fresh food instead of it just being raw. We try to speak to fresh a lot because raw can be pretty alienating and fresh is what matters. There is also a lot of economic concern and that’s where it’s important to remember that when it comes to what we’re feeding our pets, some is better than none. That is something we say a lot. You can make a huge impact in your pet’s bowl just by changing 20 percent of what you put in there,” Kelley Marian, Owner & Founder, Green JuJu commented previously.
Hood of Shepherd Boy Farms believes the evolution of the category will be full-feed freeze-dried diets.
“Freeze-dried food is still gaining broader awareness, but more pet owners are beginning to move beyond toppers and treats and are looking at freeze-dried options as part of their pet’s daily nutrition. This shift is being driven by a deeper focus on health, wellness and quality of life.”
“The brands winning right now are not necessarily the ones with the most complex formulations. They are the ones making premium raw feel achievable for more households. That is the work,” said Govea of Vital Essentials. “The future belongs to brands that stay focused on ingredient integrity and real nutritional value. Not trend-chasing.”
Hood discussed recent retail and pet parent conversations: “We continue to see strong interest in education, ingredient transparency and simple, recognizable nutrition. Consumers are asking more questions than ever about where ingredients come from, how products are made and how food can support their pet’s overall well-being.”
“Retailers are also looking for products that allow them to have meaningful conversations with customers. Freeze-dried foods give retailers an opportunity to educate pet parents on quality ingredients, whole food nutrition and the benefits of a less processed diet,” explained Hood.
Marian of Green JuJu previously shared this category conversation starter, “Make the highest quality product that you can with what you can do. Don’t try to make it seem more high quality by splitting ingredients or by using meat meals or something like that. Be straightforward with where you are in the market and what you’re doing.”
The other big news or mews in the category—the rise of cat parents.
“Cat ownership is growing across every age demographic, and the industry has been slow to respond,” discussed Govea of Vital Essentials. “That data drove us directly to our Cat Micro Crunchy Nibs launch. Four new protein blends: chicken and whitefish, pork and lamb, salmon and tuna, and turkey and duck. Available in 12 oz., with select blends in 25 oz. The larger format was deliberate. Multi-cat households need scale, and we built for them. The brands paying attention to where ownership is actually growing and building for how those households feed, will own the next chapter of this category.”
The future of freeze-dried is clear to leaders like Hood of Shepherd Boy Farms: “What we see on the horizon is a stronger focus on freeze-dried food as everyday nutrition, not just an add-on to a bowl. The category has been successful with toppers and treats, but we believe the next stage of growth will come from helping pet parents understand how freeze-dried food can fit into a more complete feeding routine.”
Vital Essentials noted, “Feeding flexibility and personalization are going to shape this category more than anything else over the next five years. Pet parents are done with one-size-fits-all. They want to rotate proteins, mix formats, and build a routine that actually works for their household. We are building toward that. Manufacturing transparency is also going to become a real differentiator. Pet parents are asking harder questions about how food is made, not just what is in it. Brands that can answer those questions plainly and confidently are the ones that will earn lasting trust. That is work we take seriously.”
The brands that make freeze-dried more accessible, understandable and practical won’t just reach more pet parents; they’ll pave the future of the freeze-dried category.
