Introduction
For independent pet retailers, specialty shops, grooming services, and e-commerce players, staying ahead means offering products that not only serve pets but also resonate with the conscious consumer. Enter the rising star category: upcycled pet food and pet product items certified under the Upcycled Certified® label. Why is this category gaining so much attention in sustainability and pet-retail space? Let’s have a closer look at what is driving growth, why pet food products are an ideal fit, and how your business can benefit.
Upcycling at scale: a proven foundation in pet food
Upcycling in pet food is not theoretical. It is already happening at scale. According to the 2025 IFEEDER Report, pet food manufacturers incorporated more than 3 million tons of upcycled ingredients into dog food and over 1 million tons into cat food in 2024. For the first time, researchers formally examined upcycled ingredient use across the industry and found that pet food already operates as a major recovery channel for valuable nutrient streams. In other words, sustainability is not being added to pet food. It is embedded in how the category functions.
Why upcycling fits particularly well for pet food/pet product retailers
1. A highly relevant sustainability story
Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment. For pet retailers, that story has credibility: pets are deeply loved, and pet owners increasingly see their spending decisions through an ethical and sustainability lens. As one recent trend report notes, “products using upcycled ingredients have grown more than 30%” in the pet food sphere (Pet Food Processing, link).
2. Pet food is structurally suited for upcycled ingredients
The pet food industry naturally accepts a wide range of ingredient streams (proteins, fibers, oils, by-products) and formats (kibble, wet, treats). That flexibility makes it uniquely positioned to integrate upcycled inputs at scale.
According to one forecast, the upcycled pet ingredients market will reach USD 240 million in 2025 and grow to USD 651.4 million by 2035, a compound annual growth rate of 10.5% (Future Market Insights, link).
Also, dry formats dominate the upcycled segment, and for pet food, dry kibble and treats are staples, making integration of upcycled inputs easier (Future Market Insights, link).
This is where much of the innovation happens:
- Spent grains repurposed into fiber-rich inclusions
- Surplus produce transformed into nutrient-dense powders
- Co-products from human food processing converted into functional proteins
Finished products carry the claim, but ingredients carry the transformation.
Moreover, the certification data shows that pet foods and pet product categories are among the early adopters of Upcycled Certified®, highlighting how this category is driving the upcycling movement (Where Food Comes From, link).
3. Clear business and marketing upside for retailers
From a retail vantage point, offering products that are Upcycled Certified® gives you:
- A premium narrative to justify margin or differentiation.
- A marketing storyline (in-store signage, online product pages, social posts) that resonates with the growing number of pet owners who care about sustainability.
- Supply chain savings or industry-partnering opportunities: if manufacturers source under-utilized by-products, those cost-savings (or supply chain efficiencies) may support margin or innovation.
- Engagement and loyalty potential: as consumers bring pets into more aspects of life, they also bring purpose-driven purchasing.
Why Upcycled Certified® is especially relevant now
- The Upcycled Certified® program saw 42% growth in certified products in 2024, with strong momentum continuing in 2025, and diverts an average of 1.35 million tons of food waste annually (Upcycled Certified Impact Report 2025, WFCF).
- The trend reports show that pet food products with sustainability claims (including upcycled ingredients) are seeing growth. For example: “sustainably fished dog and cat food products have seen 9.2% year-over-year sales growth.” (Pet Food Processing, link).
- A major recent data point: In 2024, pet food manufacturers incorporated more than 3 million tons of upcycled ingredients into dog food and over 1 million tons into cat food (Pet Food Institute, link).
- The global upcycled food products market (across food, pet food, household, etc.) was estimated at USD 59.2 billion in 2024, forecasting to reach USD 119.8 billion by 2034 (InsightAce Analytic, link).
The broader opportunity: Why upcycling in pet products is just the beginning
The adoption of upcycled ingredients in pet food is not merely just a sustainability win, but also a growth strategy. By 2035, the upcycled pet ingredients market is projected to grow nearly 2.7 times from 2025 levels, signaling a major opportunity for early adopters. As packaging, certification, and consumer recognition continue to mature, brands that establish themselves now will gain a clear competitive edge.
Upcycling also extends beyond pet food. In toys and accessories, reclaimed textiles, recovered plastics, and repurposed industrial material streams are being transformed into durable, high- performance products that divert waste while maintaining safety and quality standards. Bedding, leashes, collars, and enrichment toys are increasingly incorporating redirected inputs that would otherwise enter landfills.
In grooming and wellness, innovation is emerging at the ingredient levels Surplus fruit extracts, upcycled seed oils, fermentation co-products, and plant-based residues from food processing are being refined into functional inputs for shampoos, conditioners, balms, and skin treatments. These ingredients retain beneficial properties while reducing waste, allowing brands to build performance and sustainability into the same formulation story.
For retailers, this broadens the opportunity from a single product claim to a category strategy. Sustainability can be merchandized across food, treats, toys, grooming, and accessories, reinforcing a cohesive circularity narrative throughout the store. As sustainability remains a top purchasing driver across categories, stores that emphasize verified, transparent claims will stand apart from those relying on unsubstantiated sustainability marketing.
Conclusion
For independent retailers, grooming shops, and e-commerce pet businesses, Upcycled Certified® products offer a rare alignment of consumer demand, market growth, and authentic sustainability storytelling. Carrying these products signals that your business values innovative products, reducing waste, and improving both pet wellness and planetary health.
Start small. Choose one or two upcycled brands that align with your store’s mission, train your team to share their story, and bring the message to life through signage or social content. Even modest steps can build momentum. The more you engage shoppers in the movement, the stronger your reputation becomes as a trusted source for purpose-driven pet care.