Freeze-Dried Pet Food Hits CN¥ 1.14B as China's Pet Parents Go Premium

Executive Summary#

Sales of freeze-dried pet food on two leading Chinese marketplaces reached CN¥ 1.14 billion in Q1 2023, up 28.5% YoY. The category's penetration has reached 48.7% in dog staple food and 41.7% in cat staple food.^[1] The category's rise reflects a broader premiumization trend, in which Chinese pet owners apply to their pets' diets the same health-conscious, ingredient-focused approach that shapes their own food choices. This analysis looks at the shift of pet spending toward cats, at the weight consumers give to nutritional content and gastrointestinal health, and at the production process that is driving the adoption of freeze-dried food.

Cat-Centric Spending Shapes the Pet Economy#

Spending on cats grew faster than spending on dogs across China's pet categories in Q1 2023, which reflects how pet ownership in China is changing. Full-price cat food was the largest category, with sales of CN¥ 2.54 billion, up 14.7% YoY, more than twice the CN¥ 1.17 billion of full-price dog food, whose sales were almost flat. Sales of live cats grew 25.5% to CN¥ 615 million, which points to a cat owner base that is still growing.

Why Freeze-Dried? The Production Process Advantage#

The appeal of freeze-dried pet food rests on a production process that differs fundamentally from the extrusion used for conventional kibble. Traditional pet food is made by mixing ingredients and processing them through high-heat puffing machines, while freeze-dried products follow a process that preserves more of the nutrients:

• Fresh pure raw meat is the starting material, in place of processed meat meal
• Rapid freezing at -36 degrees Celsius locks in nutritional content
• Vacuum-drying and dehydration removes moisture without applying heat
• No chemical preservatives required, since the freeze-drying process itself prevents harmful microorganisms from reproducing

This process preserves significantly more vitamins, minerals and amino acids than conventional methods. The product can also be rehydrated to something close to the original raw food, which gives it a palatability that pets accept readily and that drives repeat purchases.

According to the 2022 China Pet Freeze-Dried Consumption Report, the category has moved well beyond its early adopters.^[2] Freeze-dried staple food penetration has reached 48.7% in dog food and 41.7% in cat food. Freeze-dried snacks have reached 45.5% penetration across pet types. These figures point to mainstream acceptance, with substantial room for further growth as awareness spreads among less engaged pet owners.

Consumer Priorities: Nutrition First, Brand Second#

Social media analysis shows that pet owners approach freeze-dried food with the same attention to ingredients that they apply to their own diets. Nutritional content accounts for 24% of product-related discussion, which makes it the most important criterion consumers use to judge these products.

The three primary nutritional attributes consumers seek are:

• Fresh meat and high protein content, at 19.0% of nutrition mentions, with chicken mentioned most often alongside various kinds of fish
• Healthy grain-free formulations, as consumers actively avoid grain fillers that burden pets' digestion
• Added dietary fiber, which consumers recognize as supporting overall digestive health

Product efficacy is the second major subject of discussion, and gastrointestinal health is the benefit consumers want most. "Regulating gastrointestinal function" accounts for 15.6% of efficacy mentions, which reflects pet owners' awareness that digestive health is the foundation of a pet's overall wellness. This finding agrees with the broader consumer trend toward preventive health management, the same approach that drove purchases of supplements for people in Q1 2023.

Brand considerations account for 17% of discussion volume, which indicates that, as the category matures, brand trust and reputation play a growing part in purchase decisions alongside the product's functional attributes. For newer brands entering freeze-dried pet food, we believe this means that ingredient transparency and nutritional evidence will be the main ways to build trust until the brand itself is established.

The Pets-as-Family Premium#

The growth of freeze-dried pet food reflects a broader premiumization trend in pet spending, as Chinese pet owners increasingly treat pets as family members and are willing to pay premium prices for the health benefits they expect. This mirrors the "cautious but quality-focused" pattern of consumption seen across consumer categories in Q1 2023, in which consumers spent more deliberately and directed their money to products with real functional value.

Five growth drivers support the category:

• Superior nutrition retention preserving more bioactive compounds than heat-based processing
• Digestibility, as owners look for minimal grain fillers to ease the gastrointestinal burden on their pets
• Strong palatability driving high pet acceptance and repeat purchase rates
• Hygiene advantages eliminating harmful microorganisms without artificial preservatives
• Emotional investment as pet owners apply human-grade quality expectations to pet nutrition

Key Takeaways#

• Freeze-dried pet food sales on two leading Chinese marketplaces reached CN¥ 1.14 billion, up 28.5% YoY, and penetration has reached 48.7% in dog food and 41.7% in cat food
• Full-price cat food is the largest pet food category, at CN¥ 2.54 billion, with more than twice the sales of full-price dog food
• Nutritional content drives 24% of consumer discussion, with fresh meat/high protein at 19.0% of nutrition mentions
• Gastrointestinal health is the most desired efficacy benefit, accounting for 15.6% of efficacy-related discussion
• Brand trust (17% of discussion) is growing in importance as the category matures beyond its early adopters

About the Data#

This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence data covering Q1 2023. The sales figures come from two leading Chinese marketplaces, the penetration figures from the 2022 China Pet Freeze-Dried Consumption Report, and the consumer findings from social media analysis. For full methodology and additional insights, see the complete Consumer Trends whitepaper.