UK producer welcomes study validating vegan dog food benefits

U.K.-based vegan pet food maker Omni said it welcomes the findings of a recently published academic study that quantifies the health benefits expected on plant-based diets compared to meat-based dog food, and hopes that similar developments will contribute to the rising demand for vegan pet food.

Drafted by researchers Andrew Knight, Alexander Bauer and Hazel J. Brown, the research examines seven general indicators of illness and 22 specific health disorders among dogs. The examined general indicators of illness included: increased frequency of veterinary visits, use of medication, progression onto a therapeutic diet following initial maintenance on a vegan or meat-based diet, veterinary assessment of being unwell, reported veterinary assessment and guardian opinion of growing illness severity, as well as number of health disorders per unwell dog. 

“After pooling our results with related studies published to date, vegan dog food was consistently associated with lowered risks of multiple specific health disorders. No health disorder was consistently more prevalent in dogs fed vegan diets,” according to the researchers. 

“We also considered the prevalence of 22 specific health disorders, based on reported veterinary assessments. In each dietary group the proportions of dogs considered to have suffered from health disorders were: conventional meat – 49%, raw meat – 43% and vegan – 36%,” the paper said.

In a statement provided to Petfood industry, Guy Sandelowsky, the company’s cofounder and chief veterinarian, said Omni’s team has “always believed in the power of novel proteins to improve the health and happiness of our dogs. It’s always validating to see this being affirmed by yet another academic study.” 

“As a vet, I’m particularly pleased to see this study using clinical data such as reported veterinary assessments in this research, which makes the study’s conclusions even more credible,” said Sandelowsky.

Omni was started by two business partners with different professional backgrounds. Sandelowsky is a veterinary surgeon, and Shiv Sivakumar is a former investment banker. 

Pupil Foods is expanding its product range as well as its manufacturing capacities in Poland.Pupil FoodsPupil Foods invests in production capacities amid growing sales

Pet food producer Pupil Foods is adding new products to its growing range which will be accompanied by investments in the company’s manufacturing capacities in Poland.

 “Among the latest additions to our portfolio, we have mono-protein dry pet food made from a single type of meat, offered in the rabbit and duck meat variants, that are grain-free,” Robert Filo, director for specialist markets at Pupil Foods, told Petfood industry. “We also offer mono-protein wet pet food which is available in the beef and pork meat variants.”

The company’s director said in addition to the Polish market, Pupil Foods exports its pet food to a rising number of foreign destinations.

“We are already present in the majority of European countries, as well as in the United States, Japan, and many countries in Asia and Africa,” said Filo.

Asked about the company’s investment plans in Poland, where Pupil Foods operates its production facilities, Filo said that in line with the increasing demand for its output, the pet food business plans to further ramp up its capacities.

“It is very important that we have our own sufficient production capabilities," said Filo. "We will continue to develop them, and also introduce new product categories, based on the market demand."

Pupil Foods has been active in the Polish pet food market since 1996, focusing on dog and cat food. Some of the company’s brands include Pupil Premium, Prime, Pupil Natural, Folk, Vet Response, among others.