Starting a Pet Food Business in the UK
Thinking about starting a pet food business? UK Pet Food is a members' association, so our technical, regulatory, and nutritional advice is provided to member companies only. However, we've put together some key information to help you get started.
Legislation
If you would like to know about the relevant pet food manufacturing legislation, a good starting point is the Food Standards Agency (FSA), where you can find general information on legislation, labelling and composition of animal feed (including pet/bird food).
Codes of Practice
Industry Codes of Practice are recognised in EU legislation and help you with manufacturing and labelling enquiries.
Pet Food Labelling
We've compiled a useful factsheet on pet food labelling to help break down the requirements.
Nutritional Requirements
Our Pet care Advice is a great place to start if you want to learn more about pet nutrition. For more details on dog and cat nutrition and minimum and maximum recommended nutrient levels, please check Fediaf's advice.
Approval To Use Animal Products
You will need approval from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to process animal by-products (ABPs) into pet food. More information is available from Defra and APHA.
Registering Your Business
For information on putting your product on the market and to learn more about how to register and apply for approval as a feed business as required under Animal Feed Legislation, refer to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).