INTERVIEW SUMMARY
- Pet owners treating pets as family is driving demand for high-quality, functional ingredients and greater transparency — mirroring human food trends
- Non-thermal processing methods like high-pressure processing are gaining ground for preserving fresh ingredients
- Dennis Group helps manufacturers move quickly from concept to market with integrated design-build services, modular solutions and automation assessment
- The next five to 10 years will bring AI-driven personalization, novel proteins via precision fermentation, and a continued push on sustainability
- Growth in fresh and frozen formats will require expanded cold chain infrastructure
Interview with Maggie Atkins, marketing director, Dennis Group
Petfood Forum Chat: This is a special report from Petfood Forum 2026. I’m Jackie Roembke, the editor-in-chief of WATT Global Media’s Feed Brands, and I’m the host of Petfood Forum Chats. I sat down with industry leaders and innovators to get their take on the trends shaping the global pet food industry
From ingredients and processing to sustainability and the future of pet nutrition, take a minute to listen in on those conversations.
Maggie Atkins, marketing director, Dennis Group: Hi, I am Maggie Atkins. I'm the marketing director for Dennis Group. We're the largest architecture, engineering and construction company in the food industry. My background is B2B marketing for the last 20 years in a variety of industries ranging from finance and healthcare to engineering and construction.
Petfood Forum Chat: What do you think are the most important or beneficial industry or consumer trends shaping pet food production?
Atkins: Half of all pet owners view their pets as family members — and we're seeing that in the ways they make consumer buying decisions in the pet food industry. It continues to follow human food trends with the demand for high-quality ingredients, functional nutrition and greater transparency. Similar to what we're seeing in human food, the focus on functional nutrition includes an emphasis on probiotics, fiber, omega-3s and ingredients that support joint and dental health.
Consumers are also interested in products that have whole proteins, grains, fruits and vegetables.
Occasion treats are becoming more popular in the marketplace as well.
Petfood Forum Chat: Have you seen any new technologies or solutions that really stood out to you here at Pet Food Forum or elsewhere?
Atkins: Yes. Based on the focus on high-quality ingredients, we're seeing new processing methods being used in the industry — particularly non-thermal methods like high-pressure processing, irradiation — that enhance safety and shelf life without damaging the fresh ingredients in those products.
Petfood Forum Chat: How does Dennis Group's expertise align with these key trends?
Atkins: New trends force pet food manufacturers to react quickly to consumer demand and bring products to market fast. Dennis Group's background aligns very well with helping them get to market as quickly as possible.
We have a fully integrated design-build solution that starts with front-end planning to help clients understand their needs both now and in the future state, make clear CapEx decisions quickly and bring on scalable, modular solutions — which are helpful when you have a wide variety of SKUs and products. We can also help them assess the level of automation needed right now, whether that's full automation or just particular aspects of their operation.
Petfood Forum Chat: And what about the future? Where do you see the industry heading in the next five to 10 years?
Atkins: I think in the next five to 10 years, we're going to see greater personalization among the products offered. Some of this will be AI-driven, with custom diets built around a pet's DNA, microbiome, breed, age or lifestyle.
I also think we're going to see more tech-enabled products. That will include a diversity of novel proteins, because technologies like precision fermentation are opening up a whole new range of proteins and ingredients that can serve as inputs for pet food. And finally, I think we're going to see a continued focus on sustainability — both in the ways pet food is processed and in the transparency and cleanliness of ingredients.
Another trend that will continue — due to the growing variety of food formats, including fresh and frozen — there will be a greater need for cold chain infrastructure in both manufacturing and retail spaces.
Petfood Forum Chat: The 2026 edition of Petfood Forum was held April 26–28 in Kansas City, Missouri. For more Petfood Forum news and in-depth event coverage, visit petfoodindustry.com.
