Wet Pet Food Packaging Industry Research Report 2026

Definition

Wet Pet Food Packaging refers to primary packaging used for high moisture dog and cat food sold as complete meals, complementary foods, meal toppers, gravies, pâtés, mousses, chunks in sauce, shreds in jelly, minced formats and other retorted or pasteurized wet formulations. The category is defined by direct food contact, hermetic sealing, barrier performance, thermal process resistance and portion control. Commercial pack formats are concentrated in metal cans, retort pouches, plastic tubs, plastic cups, trays and lidded containers. Small packs below 100 g or 100 ml are heavily associated with cat food, single serve portions, premium textures, variety multipacks and trial formats, while larger trays and cans retain stronger relevance in dog food and value meal formats. The technical requirement of wet pet food packaging is materially different from dry pet food bags and treat packs because the filled product contains high water activity, fats, proteins, minerals, flavor systems and visible solid inclusions that must remain stable during filling, sealing, sterilization, distribution and shelf storage. Shelf stable wet pet food is packed before thermal treatment or processed in a sealed container, which makes retort stability, seal integrity, oxygen barrier, corrosion resistance, delamination resistance and internal coating compatibility central to package performance. Chilled wet pet food uses a shorter preservation chain and a different temperature profile, yet still relies on tight barrier control, clean opening performance and stable lidding behavior. Metal cans remain the established format for conventional wet pet food because tinplate and aluminum containers provide high mechanical strength, excellent oxygen and light barrier, fast filling line compatibility and long shelf life after retort processing. Internal lacquer systems protect the metal surface from fat, salt, organic acids and protein rich formulations, while easy open ends improve consumer handling. Cans are widely used for pâté, loaf, chunks, stews and gravy based products, with pack sizes ranging from small cat portions to large dog food cans. Retort pouches are the dominant flexible format in small and mid sized wet pet food packs. They combine lightweight structure, compact shelf presentation, rapid heat transfer during retort processing and strong compatibility with premium cat food, portioned dog food, toppers and gravy rich products. Typical pouch structures use polyester, aluminum foil or aluminum free barrier layers, nylon, polypropylene and heat seal layers depending on the required shelf life, retort temperature, puncture resistance and visual appearance. Pouches are frequently used in 50 g to 100 g cat food packs and in larger dog food portions, with strong penetration in multipack retail formats. Plastic tubs, cups and trays are used where spoonable texture, portion control, easy opening and premium meal presentation are commercially important. These formats commonly use polypropylene based thermoformed or injection molded containers with peelable lidding films, and may incorporate oxygen barrier layers such as EVOH when shelf life and retort exposure require higher barrier performance. Aluminum trays remain relevant in selected markets and product tiers because they combine thermal stability, shape retention and strong barrier properties. Cups and trays are heavily used for mousse, pâté, minced products, small breed dog portions and cat meal portions. The food texture split has direct packaging relevance. Products with visible particles, including chunks, shreds, flakes and meat pieces in sauce, require packages and filling systems that tolerate particulate flow, abrasion, headspace control and sealing contamination risk. Products without visible particles, including mousse, pâté and smooth loaf, place greater emphasis on shape retention, controlled filling weight, clean release, surface appearance and lid peel behavior. The distinction affects pouch thickness, tray rigidity, lidding film selection, retort cycle behavior and secondary packaging stability. The industry value chain begins with resin, film, foil, tinplate, aluminum, coating, ink and adhesive suppliers, then moves into can making, flexible laminate conversion, thermoforming, injection molding, lidding film production, printing and food contact package manufacturing. Wet pet food producers integrate packaging selection with recipe viscosity, particle size, sterilization profile, filling speed, shelf life target, brand tier, retail channel and logistics cost. Packaging accounts for a meaningful share of the finished product cost in small wet pet food packs because the unit package is small, barrier requirements are high and multipack presentation adds carton, sleeve, tray or wrap material. Wet Pet Food Packaging is therefore a defined packaging subcategory covering the direct containment of high moisture pet food under retort, pasteurized or chilled distribution conditions. Its commercial structure is governed by pack type, animal type, food texture and pack size. The most practical type segmentation is pouches, metal cans, tubs and trays, cups and others. Pouches and sachets should be treated as one flexible pack family in wet pet food because the commercial boundary between the two terms overlaps in small portion soft packs.