Pet food is one of the fastest-growing packaged food categories in India. The market was worth an estimated USD 2.69 billion in 2026 and is on track to reach USD 4.6 billion by 2034, and dogs alone account for roughly 86% of that spend. Behind that growth is a quieter shift: pet parents are reading ingredient labels the way they read their own, and manufacturers are responding by adding real fruit and vegetable pieces, purees and powders to kibble, treats and toppers instead of relying purely on grain fillers and synthetic additives.
Why dehydrated produce is showing up in more pet food formulas
A few forces are converging here. Grain-free and “human-grade” positioning has pushed brands to look for functional carbohydrate sources like sweet potato and pumpkin instead of corn or wheat. Freeze-dried and dehydrated treats have become a category of their own, sold as single-ingredient snacks rather than processed biscuits. And extrusion lines that make kibble need an ingredient that survives high heat and pressure without losing its nutritional value or turning to dust in the mixer — which is exactly what a properly dehydrated fruit or vegetable piece is built to do.
Ingredients pet food and treat manufacturers commonly source
Not every fruit or vegetable belongs in a pet formula, so the sourcing list tends to be narrower and more deliberate than it is for human food. The ones we get asked about most often are:
- Sweet potato — a grain-free carbohydrate base used in both kibble and single-ingredient chews
- Pumpkin — added in small percentages for fibre and digestive support
- Carrot — used for colour, crunch and beta-carotene content in treats
- Apple (deseeded and cored) — a common flavour and fibre addition in baked treats
- Beetroot and spinach — used in smaller quantities, mainly for colour and micronutrient content
What a pet food manufacturer needs from a raw material supplier
Pet food formulation runs on tighter tolerances than most people expect. A batch that’s slightly wetter than spec can throw off an extruder; one that’s inconsistently cut can jam a filling line. Before a formula is finalised, most manufacturers want clear answers on a handful of points:
- What moisture percentage does the ingredient hold to, and how tightly is that controlled batch to batch?
- Is the product free of added sulphites, preservatives or anti-caking agents, and can that be confirmed in writing?
- Is a certificate of analysis available with each batch, covering moisture, microbial counts and any residue testing?
- Can piece size, cut style or powder mesh size be customised to match a specific extrusion or mixing process?
- Is a small trial batch available before committing to a full production run?
Sourcing domestically
Pet food manufacturers in India don’t need export documentation, but they generally hold their raw materials to the same bar as human food processors, sometimes stricter, given how directly an animal’s diet affects its health and how closely pet owners now scrutinise labels. At APCON Exports, our dehydration process, batch testing and traceability records are the same whether a shipment is headed to a pet food plant in Punjab or a buyer overseas, so a domestic manufacturer gets the same documentation and consistency an export customer would expect.
If you’re formulating or scaling a pet food or treat line and need a dehydrated fruit or vegetable ingredient with consistent specs, get in touch and let us know the product, cut size and volumes you’re working with — we’ll send samples and a quote based on your requirement.
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