China International Companion Animal Food Ingredients Conference 2022 ("CAFIC") was held in Suzhou, China, between August 15-17, 2022. With China's pet economy continuing to boom, expected to be worth over 240 billion yuan by 2025, the conference gathered professionals from across the country to discuss latest trends and technologies in the pet food industry. This year's theme was "How functional ingredients improve health and intelligence of companion animals". Hosted by LAMB Consultancy and held in conjunction with the Companion Animal Food Equipment Conference 2022 (CAFEC 2022), CAFIC 2022 included a total of 41 presentations.
At a time when the importance of functional ingredients in pet foods is receiving heightened attention from the pet food industry and pet owners in China, the presentations featured speakers from around the world and focused on how they can be beneficial to the health and intelligence of a companion animal. Speaking on behalf of the US Grain Council, Greg Aldrich, professor at Kansas State University, presented his thoughts on sorghum in pet foods. Peng Li, Asia regional director of the North American Rendered Association (NARA), compared the cost of rendered proteins with fresh meats and introduced to the audience the stringent quality control that exists for US rendered products in the Chinese market.
CAFIC 2022 invited Erik Hansen, director of USDA's Agricultural Trade Office in Shanghai, to introduce US pet foods, various pet food ingredients and the vital roles that the Agricultural Trade Office play in the trade of agricultural products with China. Gianpaolo Bruno, director of the Beijing Office of the Italian Trade Agency, Lauren Gilbert Commissioner of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, and Yu Hao, senior market specialist of Enterprise-Ireland, introduced their respective pet food industries and potential cooperation with their Chinese counterparts.
Mian Riaz, the world-renowned pet food expert, shared his experience on the selection of protein ingredients for extrusion of a wide variety of dry pet foods. Min Xue, research professor at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Feed Research Institute, shared physio-chemical parameters of US pet food grade poultry by-product meal and pork meat and bone meal for efficient applications in pet food extrusion.
Zhiwei Li, technical director of ADM-Wisium China Division, introduced the basic requirements of micronutrients in pet food and how premixes should be manufactured to meet those requirements. Loïc Bramoullé, Application and Innovative Process engineer of Symrise Pet Food, introduced the application of fats and oils in extruded pet foods and challenges that exist for palatability. Boyu Zou, director of Production of Wingbo Pet Food, introduced antioxidant solutions in the control oxidation of fats in pet foods.
Various innovative dietary supplements were demonstrated and discussed in this conference. Guoyao Wu, diistinguished professor at Texas A&M University and Tonje Dominguez, director Specialty Animal Nutrition Products of QRILL Pet by Aker BioMarine Antarctic AS, shared the effect of QRILL Pet Antarctic Krill Meal on health and cognition in companion animals. Meanwhile, Haiying Wang, director of Products of Bloomage Biotech, demonstrated the significant improvement of skin and joint health in pets after having HYAPET added to food supplements.
Representatives from APC, JRS, Huachang Animal Welfare, Singao, PhagePharm and Angel Yeast introduced novel petfood supplementation strategies to enhance the gastrointestinal health of canines and felines.
CAFEC 2022 was held concurrently with CAFIC 2022. Pet food processing specialists from Kerunde, Zhengchang Pet Food Engineering, Shugao Mechnical and Electric, Baojia Intelligent and Blue Ocean Technology shared recent developments in processing technologies and equipment for extrusion, coating, grinding, fresh meat processing, ingredient handling, packaging, automated control and real-time monitoring. Fuzheng Wang, chairman of Liaoning Oceanking Organic Pet Foods, demonstrated China's most advanced pet food manufacturing factory in Chaoyang, Liaoning province, that has been recently completed. Over fifty pet food manufacturers sent representatives to participate in CAFIC and CAFEC. CAFEC 2022 was China's first conference to be held focusing on the industries of pet food manufacture equipment and automated control.
A total of 23 pet food manufacturers won the "2022 Hexa-I Award", awarded by the CAFIC Scientific Committee to manufacturers who achieve excellence in ingredient control (including management of the supply chain and quality control).
Dr. Yulong Yin, China's world renowned animal nutritionist, presented the "2022 Hexa-I Award of Chinese Pet Food Industry" to Fuzheng Wang (chairman of Liaoning Oceanking Organic Pet Food), Yingchun Wang (chairman of Full Pet), Yiwu Wang (chairman of Metz Pet Food), Qing Li (chairman of Tai'an Taichong Pet Food), Rongkun Wang (chairman of Ronsy Pet Food), Bin Lv (chairman of Shandong Dehai Biotechnology), Shengbo Ye (co-founder of Alfie & Buddy), Yueyue Wang (commercial director of Mars Pet Food China), Jinfa Chen (Technical director of Gambol Pet Food), Zhongming You (Vice President of Petpal Pet Nutrition Technology), Jianshe Sun (general manager of FISH4PETS Pet Food), and Han Peng (Founder of Gaoyejia Pet Food), for their outstanding work.
The Scientific Committee also presented the "2022 Triple I Award for Pet Food Ingredient Industry" to pet food ingredient suppliers who achieved excellence in the supply of pet food ingredients and development of pet food technologies. Aike Li, chief scientist of the Chinese Academy of National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, presented the award to representatives of 22 ingredient suppliers. US Grains Council, Symrise Pet Food, Bloomage Biotech, PhagePharm, Joinsha-Pet Like, Dongtai City Spirulina Bio-Engineering, Hunan Nuoze Biological Technology, Well Hope-Yufeng Bio, are new recipients of this award, while ADM-Wisium, Triple A a/s, Tyson Ingredient Solution, J. Rettenmaier Söhne, GMBH+CO.KG, APC, QRILL Pet by Aker BioMarine Antarctic AS, Enhalor International Tech, Singao Bio, Legendary Petfood Ingredients, Angel Yeast, Huachang Animal Health, and Wing Pet Food have won the award for the second consecutive year.
In total, over 400 professionals from various aspects of the Chinese pet food industry including ingredient suppliers and equipment suppliers, attended CAFIC 2022 and CAFEC 2022. CAFIC, CAFEC and the monthly Pet Nutrition Webinar, hosted by LAMB Consultancy, are becoming the most influential platforms for up-to-date information and communication among the pet food manufacturing industry in China and various related upstream industries around the globe, as well for the introduction of new technologies, ingredients, supplements, equipment and services to the Chinese pet food market. The CAFIC 2023 and CAFEC 2023 are scheduled to be held in Suzhou from May 16 to 18, 2023.
