The global supply of essential vitamins and amino acids is increasingly concentrated, raising concerns for both pet food and pet supplement production, warned Lara Moody, executive director of the Institute for Feed Education and Research (iFeeder), during her presentation at Petfood Forum 2026. She discussed the results of an iFeeder report on supply chain stability.
“Vitamins and amino acids were identified early as key areas of concern,” Moody said.
Heavy reliance on imports, especially from China
One of the most pressing findings is the lack of geographic diversity in production. According to the report, the U.S. relies heavily on imports from China for many essential nutrients. In some cases, dependency is nearly total. For example, Moody noted that the U.S. imports 100% of its lysine from China, while vitamin D supply is also believed to be heavily concentrated there.
Cost advantages and industrial policy have enabled China to dominate global vitamin production. Pricing disparities drive this concentration, Moody said. For instance, imported methionine from China became approximately 55% less expensive than alternative suppliers between 2023 and 2024.
The report also found that global production capacity for vitamins and amino acids is underutilized. Amino acid production operates below the estimated 80% utilization threshold needed for optimal profitability, while vitamin production is even lower, often between 40% and 60%.
This imbalance reflects structural issues in the market, including subsidized production in certain regions, which can distort pricing and discourage investment elsewhere.
Limited substitution options increase risk
While some nutrient gaps can be partially addressed through alternative ingredients, that substitution is often costly and impractical, Moody said. Reformulating diets to replace synthetic amino acids, for example, could increase costs by 25% to 70% per ton due to reliance on animal-based ingredients like fish meal or blood meal.
Additionally, not all nutrients are easily replaceable.
“For vitamin B and really for vitamin D, we don’t have many other options,” Moody said.
Changes in ingredient sourcing can trigger label updates, affect patented formulations and alter palatability. Additionally, specialty diets may rely heavily on precise nutrient supplementation, limiting flexibility in reformulation.
Policy attention and potential solutions
The findings have drawn U.S. federal attention. Moody said vitamins and amino acids have been identified as strategic vulnerabilities. This has prompted discussions among the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Defense, along with other agencies.
Potential policy responses under consideration include investment in domestic production, research into fermentation technologies and adjustments to permitting processes to encourage new manufacturing capacity.
As global competition for crucial nutrients intensifies among nations and industries, maintaining consistent access to essential ingredients may require strategic planning by pet food producers.
