Category
Lifestyle
Assisted Choices
Trend cluster
Category
Human-Grade
Normalization
Pet parents seek out human-grade food for reassurance.
3.2
Trend score
Trend
What is the Human-Grade Normalization trend?
Human-Grade Normalization: Pet owners, increasingly humanizing and therefore willing to spend more on their animals, are seeking out human-grade quality in pet food products. Providing reassurance to these consumers by focusing on health benefits and safety, this focus on ingredients mirrors shifts happening in food more broadly.
Trend themes
Themes within the Human-Grade Normalization trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Humanization of Pets
Owners are willing to spend more on their animals as they seek out human-grade quality in pet food products, mirroring the shifts happening in food more broadly.
02
Healthy and Natural Pet Food
Pet owners are looking for products that contain healthy ingredients that they would eat themselves, including all-natural and human-grade ingredients.
03
Alternative Protein Sources for Pet Food
Pet food companies are using alternative protein sources such as cricket powder as a more sustainable and healthy alternative to traditional protein sources.
Industry implications
What the Human-Grade Normalization trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Pet Food Industry
Companies can capitalize on the trend of humanization of pets and focus on healthy, natural, and alternative protein sources in pet food products.
For
Alternative Protein Industry
As pet food companies look for more sustainable and healthy protein sources, the alternative protein industry can provide a new market to sell their products.
For
Packaging Design Industry
Pet food companies can work with design agencies to create unique and appealing packaging designs to attract the attention of pet owners seeking out human-grade quality in pet food products.
Workshop question
As consumers increasingly look to invest in themselves and their loved ones, how are you demonstrating integrity and quality with your positioning?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Human-Grade Normalization
Trend score 3.2 out of 10, from popularity 48%, activity 40%, freshness 8%.
Popularity48%
Activity40%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha (not a primary audience)
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer
Market
North America
Evidence
Examples of the Human-Grade Normalization trend
6 featured examples from Jun 6, 2014 to Oct 31, 2016CategoryLifestyle
Human-Grade Dog Treats
'The Honest Kitchen' Jerkies are Good Enough for Humans to Eat
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new manufacturing processes to produce healthier pet food products with minimal processing and high-quality ingredients.
CategoryLifestyle
Dog-Friendly Dehydrated Chips
CocoTherapy Makes Vegetable, Fruit and Coconut Chips for Dogs
The pet food industry can tap into the growing demand for healthy and nutritious pet snacks by creating products with dehydrated, high-quality ingredients.
CategoryLifestyle
Watercolor Pet Food Packaging
The Honest Kitchen Unveiled its New and Vibrant Pet Food Packages
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce innovative packaging and product formulations to stand out in a competitive pet food market.
CategoryEco
Cricket Protein Dog Treats
EntoBento Makes Sustainable All-Natural Dog Treats Using Cricket Powder
Opportunity for the pet food industry to invest in alternative protein sources and incorporate sustainable practices in production.
CategoryLifestyle
Artisan Dog Treats
Little L's Krak'ems are All-Meat Treats Designed Specifically for Dogs
The pet food industry can tap into the increasing demand for all-natural, grain-free, and specialized treats for dogs.
CategoryLifestyle
Cat-Friendly Broth Meals
Fancy Feast Makes Seafood and Chicken Broth for Cats
Opportunity for pet food companies to meet the demand for cat-friendly broth meals.
