Expectations around pet food have shifted in ways that closely mirror broader changes in human food. Pet owners are evaluating products on ingredient quality, functional benefits, and transparency rather than just price or basic nutrition. Manufacturers are navigating these expectations while managing cost pressures, putting emphasis on ingredients that deliver nutritional value without requiring unfamiliar additives or complicated processing. These conditions are shaping pet food trends for 2026, with dried vegetables, fruits, and herbs playing an increasingly important role in formulations that balance health priorities with practical production needs.
Functional Ingredients Become Standard Features
Pet food products in 2026 are being developed around specific health outcomes rather than general nutritional adequacy. Ingredients are selected for their documented benefits (like immune system support or joint health), and these functional properties are now expected as baseline features rather than premium additions. This represents a clear shift from previous years when basic nutrition standards were the primary concern. Pet owners evaluate food choices based on what ingredients can do for their pets’ long-term health, treating nutrition as preventative care rather than maintenance.
Dried ingredients provide the functional benefits driving these purchasing decisions. Mushrooms deliver beta-glucans for immune support, sweet potatoes offer fiber for digestive health and beta-carotene for vision, and leafy greens like spinach contribute essential vitamins and minerals. Silva’s processing preserves nutritional integrity while creating formats that work across product types, from kibble and wet food to treats and supplements. These ingredients give manufacturers recognizable components that deliver health benefits without synthetic additives or fortification requirements.1
Clean Labels and Ingredient Recognition
Another one of the clearest trends in pet food for 2026 is the shift toward products with shorter, more recognizable ingredient lists. Pet owners want components they can identify without technical knowledge, and they’re skeptical of formulations that require lengthy explanations or unfamiliar additives. This preference for transparency extends beyond marketing claims to actual ingredient selection, where whole-food components replace synthetic alternatives and processed ingredients give way to simpler options. Manufacturers are responding by building formulations around ingredients that communicate quality through familiarity rather than complexity.
Dried vegetables meet these expectations naturally. Ingredients like carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach appear on labels as recognizable whole foods rather than chemical compounds or proprietary blends. Silva’s minimal processing preserves the essential characteristics of these vegetables while creating shelf-stable formats that work in commercial production. These ingredients support clean-label positioning without sacrificing nutritional value or functional performance, and their traceability helps manufacturers document sourcing and quality standards that pet owners increasingly expect.2
A Return to Established Ingredient Foundations
After years of manufacturers experimenting with novel ingredients and trending components, 2026 is seeing a shift back toward vegetables with established track records in pet food formulations. Carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas are gaining renewed emphasis not as innovations but as reliable foundations that consistently perform across production requirements and nutritional goals. This return to proven ingredients reflects market conditions where formulation stability and cost predictability matter more than novelty. Manufacturers are prioritizing components that deliver results without requiring extensive testing or creating supply chain complications.
Dried versions of these traditional vegetables offer manufacturers the consistency they need while maintaining nutritional profiles pet owners recognize. Silva’s carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas perform predictably batch after batch and integrate easily into different product formats without reformulation requirements. These ingredients support stable production schedules and transparent ingredient lists simultaneously, making them valuable in a market environment that rewards reliability over experimentation.
Broader Vegetable Options Support Formulation Adaptability
One of the other trends to keep an eye on in 2026 is how manufacturers are working with a wider range of vegetables as ingredient costs and availability become less predictable. Formulations built around just a few standard vegetables face challenges when prices shift or supply disruptions occur. Including vegetables like beets, parsnips, leafy greens, and different mushroom varieties gives manufacturers alternatives when they need to adjust recipes without changing nutritional profiles or compromising product positioning. This isn’t about creating novelty products but about maintaining production stability when conditions require flexibility.
These less common vegetables provide manufacturers with substitution options that deliver similar functional benefits to standard choices. Beets can contribute color and natural sweetness where carrots might have been used, parsnips offer texture similar to sweet potatoes, and various mushroom types provide functional benefits across different applications. Silva’s dried formats make these vegetables practical for commercial use, maintaining consistent quality whether they’re primary ingredients or substitutes. Rather than expanding ingredient lists just for differentiation, manufacturers gain practical alternatives that keep formulations viable when market conditions change.
Premium Pet Food Ingredients from Silva
Pet food development in 2026 requires ingredients that deliver functional benefits while meeting transparency expectations and production requirements. Silva’s dried vegetables, fruits, and herbs provide the quality and consistency manufacturers need for commercial formulations. We also have many growing regions across the globe, in order to provide cost management of raw materials while producing finished ingredients through our Illinois facility. Whether you’re adjusting existing products or developing new ones, our ingredient portfolio offers options that align with market demands. Contact Silva today to learn how our ingredients can support your pet food formulations.
1https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs-columns/adventures-in-pet-food/blog/15771700/top-5-pet-food-claims-human-food-trends-health-is-the-link
2https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs-columns/adventures-in-pet-food/article/15772467/2026-trends-consumers-look-to-resilience-value-nostalgia