Pet Food Packaging: From Dry Kibble to Jerky Treats

Key Takeaways

• The United States accounts for over 40% of the global pet food market.
• Moisture barrier (MVTR) is an important part of packaging because even minimal moisture accelerates rancidity.
• Oxygen barrier (OTR) protects pet food fats and nutrients from off-flavors, nutrient loss, and reduced shelf life.
• Resealable zippers, easy-tear openings, and portion-friendly pouches make feeding simpler for pet owners.

Flexible Pet Care Packaging

The pet food market is one of the strongest segments in the consumer goods industry, driven by the steady increase in pet ownership nationwide. The United States accounts for over 40% of the global market, with pet food revenue reaching US $62 billion in 2025. This expanding market reflects how common pets are in households, and how much care and investment people are willing to dedicate to their well-being. Pets are seen as family members, and pet owners demand high-quality, convenient, and nutritious food options.

How do you know which type of packaging is right for your pet food product? Many factors come into play, from your production requirements to pet owners’ expectations for ease of use, convenience, and overall look and feel. Don’t see your type of pet care product listed below? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to hear your specs and let you know which packaging is best for your product.

What Packaging Is Best for My Pet Food Product?

The best type of packaging for your pet food products depends on moisture and oxygen sensitivity, texture, microbial safety, and customer handling.

Dry Kibble and Treats

Dry kibble and treats need strong oxygen and moisture barriers to stay fresh and crunchy.

Properties:

• Lower moisture content, relatively shelf-stable compared to wet foods
  
• Prone to oxidation of fats, leading to rancidity and off-odors
  
• Particle size ranges widely from small kibble to larger treats
  
• Sensitive to infestation if packaging is compromised
  
• Risk of breakage and dust
  

Packaging Needs:

• Commonly used film structures:
  
  • BOPP/MetOPP/LLDPE → cost-efficient, moderate barrier plastic films.
    • BOPP: A clear, strong plastic film used for the outer layers of pouches. 
    • MetOPP: A metallized version of BOPP used for its barrier protection against oxygen and moisture to keep food fresh. 
    • LLDPE: A flexible, sealable film often used in multilayer films.
      
  • PET/Alu/PE → Polyethylene Terephthalate / Aluminum Foil / Polyethylene is a common laminate structure that provides a premium oxygen and moisture barrier, ensuring a long shelf life.
    
  • Mono-PE/EVOH → A single-material film with a slightly lower barrier, but recyclable and eco-friendly.
    
• Barrier Properties:
  • Ideal Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR – measures oxygen permeability) < 1 cc/m²/day
  • Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate (MVTR – measures water vapor permeability) < 1 g/m²/day
    
• Best Packaging: block bottom bags, gusset bags, stand-up pouches with reseal zippers.
  
• Special Features: Clear windows for treats and nitrogen flushing for premium kibble.
  

Wet & Fresh Pet Foods

Wet pet food is already high in water content, so microbial safety is the bigger concern. Wet and fresh products require seal integrity, as well as thermal or pressure resistance.

Properties:

• Very high moisture content → high microbial growth risk
  
• Highly perishable once opened
  
• Sensitive to light, oxygen, and temperature
  
• Often contains proteins and fats prone to rancidity

Packaging Needs:

• Retort pouches: PET/Alu/CPP (Polyethylene Terephthalate / Aluminum / Cast Polypropylene) or Nylon/PE (Polyethylene) laminations. These laminations are high-barrier, puncture-resistant, sealable, and withstand high-temp sterilization.
  
• Refrigerated pouches (HPP-ready): High-Pressure Processing Ready packaging is designed to withstand high-pressure pasteurization. High-barrier nylon/PE (Polyethylene) blends are multilayer films that prevent leaks with enhanced barrier properties.
  
• Barrier Properties:
  • OTR: < 1 cc/m²/day
  • MVTR: < 0.1 g/m²/day
    
• Best Packaging: single-serve retort pouches and refrigerated multi-packs.
  
• Special Features: Easy-tear notches and portion control packaging for refrigerated foods.

Freeze-Dried Pet Food

Because they rehydrate quickly and absorb moisture, freeze-dried pet food demands packaging with exceptional barrier protection and crush resistance.

Properties:

• Very low moisture content, but highly hygroscopic once exposed
  
• Light and porous, easily crushed during handling
  
• Nutrient-sensitive: added vitamins and probiotics degrade with oxygen and light
  

Packaging Needs:

• Lightweight and oxygen-sensitive PET/MetPET/PE with resealable closures. Polyethylene Terephthalate / Metallized PET / Polyethylene is a metallized laminate with a lightweight barrier.
  
• Barrier Properties:
  • OTR: < 1 cc/m²/day
  • MVTR < 0.1 g/m²/day
    
• Best Packaging: Stand-up pouches, flat pouches
  
• Special Features: Oxygen absorbers inside the pouch to maintain freshness; nitrogen flushing is common.

Supplement Powders

Prone to clumping or degradation when exposed to air and moisture, protective and resealable packaging maintains freshness and potency.

Properties:

• Hygroscopic, sensitive to oxidation

Packaging Needs:

• PET/Alu/PE; PET/MetPET/PE laminations with moisture and UV barriers
  
• Barrier Properties:
  • OTR: <1 cc/m²/day
  • MVTR: <0.5 g/m²/day

• Best Packaging: Stick packs, sachets, and stand-up pouches
  
• Special Features: measured scoops
  

Kitty Litter

Unlike pet food, kitty litter packaging is more about durability, portability, and dust control than freshness. Bulky and heavy, strong materials and easy-carry features are necessary to keep from ripping and accidental spillage.

Properties:

• Granular or mineral-based, heavy and bulky
  
• Not sensitive to moisture for performance, but clumping litter degrades if too humid
  
• Creates dust, requires strong containment
  
• Needs durable packaging for transport and handling
  

Packaging Needs:

• Laminated PE or PP films (Polyethylene or Polypropylene Laminates with multiple layers bonded together) or woven polypropylene bags
  
• Barrier Properties:
  • OTR/MVTR not critical, focus on strength

• Best Packaging: Large laminated bags (10–40 lb), woven PP bags, stand-up pouches
  
• Special Features: Pour spouts, reinforced bottoms, resealable zippers, easy carry handles
  

Pet Product Packaging Table

Still not sure which pet food packaging bag is right for your product? Get in touch with a RubeeRep today to discuss options and get a free sample.

Sustainable Pet Food Packaging

It’s great when companies strive to be sustainable and environmentally conscious, but in animal food packaging, sustainability is only viable if it doesn’t compromise freshness.

Options include:

• Mono-materials (PE or PP with EVOH): Polyethylene or Polypropylene with Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol are recyclable, designed to mimic the performance of traditional laminates.
  
• PCR films: Post-Consumer Recycled Content Films incorporate recycled plastic from consumer waste into new packaging, helping reduce the need for virgin materials.
  
• Compostable films: limited, but growing for small pet treat packs and sample pouches.

Dog Food Packaging vs Cat Food Packaging

According to PetMD, in 2023, 65.1 million US households included a pet dog, followed by 46.5 million US households with cats.

Dog Food Packaging

Size & volume: Dogs eat more per meal, so the size of the bags of food is usually larger, like 15–50 lb gusseted bags for kibble. These need strong seams, puncture resistance, and durable closures.

Convenience: Bulk bags feature handles, easy-pour spouts, or resealable zippers for easier handling. Single-serve pouches exist, but they’re less common since dogs usually eat larger portions.

Durability: Big bags need to last several weeks without the food going stale, so strong oxygen and moisture barriers are necessary to prevent spoilage.

Cat Food Packaging

Portion control: Cats eat smaller amounts than dogs, often multiple times per day. Customers look for smaller packaging sizes, like 3-oz pouches or small bags of kibble.

Freshness: Cat owners purchase single-serve wet food formats since uneaten food dries out quickly. Pouches with easy-tear openings and cans with pull-tabs are good for that.

Variety: When not plotting against humanity, cats are picky eaters, so owners like to buy multi-packs with assorted flavors in small portions.

Regulatory and Safety Requirements for Pet Food Packaging

In the United States, two main bodies shape regulatory and safety requirements for pet food: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a nonprofit organization made up of state and federal officials who regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds and pet foods. 

The FDA oversees the safety of pet food, ensuring that ingredients are free from harmful contaminants, products are manufactured under sanitary conditions, and labeling is truthful and not misleading. Pet food packaging often includes lot numbers, expiration dates, and storage instructions to support traceability and safety.

The AAFCO sets standardized guidelines for nutritional adequacy, ingredient labeling, and feeding instructions. Packaging must clearly display a “complete and balanced” statement for the appropriate life stage, list ingredients in descending order by weight, and provide a guaranteed analysis of key nutrients such as protein, fat, fiber, and moisture.

Flexible packaging must provide enough space to meet these labeling requirements.

Benefits of Flexible Packaging for Pet Food vs Rigid Packaging

According to the US Pet Food Packaging Market Report by Mordor Intelligence, flexible pouches accounted for 35.42% of the 2024 US pet food packaging market and will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.42% through 2030. Top benefits of flexible pet food packaging include:

Space efficiency: Flexible pouches and bags take up less room during storage and transport.

Result: Cuts shipping costs and allows retailers to stock more products on the shelves.

Superior barrier performance at lower material weight: Laminated films with high-barrier layers (such as metallized PET or foil) can match or exceed the oxygen and moisture protection of rigid containers, while using far less material.

Result: Lower environmental impact and easier disposal for consumers.

Convenient features: Features like resealable zippers, easy-tear openings, and flat-bottom designs.

Result: A better user experience compared to cans or rigid tubs that don’t reseal well.

Printing: Rotogravure or digital printing directly on packaging.

Result: Strong branding and clear product information without the need for separate labels.

Handles multiple formats: Accommodates a wide range of products without requiring multiple packaging solutions.

Result: Pet food manufacturers can streamline production and respond quickly to new product launches.

Get Custom Pet Food Packaging at Rubeeflex

Flexible pet food packaging offers solutions tailored to every product type. With the right material structure and format, your pet food products stay fresh, stand out on shelves, and make pet owners happy.

RubeeFlex Packaging understands both the technical and market sides of the industry. Get started today with a free sample and find the ideal solution for your brand. Together, we’ll design, produce, and deliver packaging that keeps tails wagging and customers coming back.

Pet Food Packaging FAQs

Why is flexible packaging a good choice for pet food?

Flexible packaging is a good choice for pet food because it offers strong barrier protection, lightweight shipping, and customizable formats like pouches and gusset bags. Flexible pet food packaging preserves freshness, extends shelf life, and is convenient for both brands and pet owners.

How does flexible packaging protect nutrients in pet food?

Many pet foods are fortified with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics that can degrade when exposed to oxygen, moisture, or light. Flexible packaging protects nutrients in pet food with high-barrier films, resealable closures, and nitrogen flushing.

What is a retort pouch?

A retort pouch is a type of flexible packaging for pet food designed to withstand high-temperature sterilization, also known as “retorting.” It’s made from multiple layers, typically polyester (PET) for strength and printability, aluminum foil for a high barrier against light and oxygen, and polypropylene (PP) on the inside for heat sealing.

Does RubeeFlex offer smaller runs or test batches?

Yes. RubeeFlex Packaging offers flexible order quantities so you can test new products or packaging formats without committing to large-scale production right away.