IFD Group, Europe's leading freeze-dried pet food manufacturer, has achieved BRCGS A Grade certification as demand for premium freeze-dried pet nutrition continues to accelerate across UK retail.
Founded in 2021, the Norfolk-based business has rapidly established itself as a category leader within freeze-dried pet food manufacturing, supplying products across branded, grocery and private label sectors for both dog and cat food markets.
In just three years of trading, IFD Group has become one of the largest freeze-dried pet food manufacturers in Europe, supporting a growing number of retailers and brands seeking to innovate within dry pet food, treats, toppers and functional feeding categories.
Alongside its manufacturing operation, IFD Group is also the owner of premium freeze-dried pet food brand COYA, which has helped introduce freeze-dried nutrition to a wider audience through major UK retailers and ecommerce channels. The brand's success has provided valuable insight into evolving consumer demand and the growing appetite for convenient, minimally processed pet nutrition.
Freeze-dried products manufactured by IFD are already helping reshape pet food aisles across major UK retailers with brands on shelves in Pets at Home, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose & Partners, Marks & Spencer and many more, as consumer demand grows for high-meat, nutrient-rich and raw-inspired nutrition.
Driven by trends long established in the US pet food market, where the category is valued at more than $422m, freeze-dried pet food continues to gain momentum with annual growth of around 30%, as health-conscious pet owners seek convenient alternatives to traditional raw feeding without compromising on nutrition or palatability.
The business says demand from both established pet food brands and major retailers has grown at an unprecedented rate, with increasing interest in Kibble Plus, freeze-dried inclusions, toppers and high-value treats designed to elevate traditional dry food formats and drive value growth within the category.
While much of the global freeze-dried pet food market continues to evolve, IFD Group believes UK manufacturing capability, technical expertise and retailer confidence in British-made supply chains are becoming increasingly important drivers of future growth.
Managing Director, Craig Taylor, said: "Over the last four years, we have invested heavily in infrastructure, people and systems to build a manufacturing business capable of supporting the next generation of premium pet food innovation.
"Achieving BRCGS certification is a major milestone for the business and reflects our commitment to product safety, quality, consistency and continuous improvement.
We are seeing huge momentum behind freeze-dried nutrition as brands and retailers look for ways to premiumise and differentiate pet food categories. Through both our manufacturing partnerships and our own brand COYA, we have a unique view of how quickly consumer demand for freeze-dried products is growing, and we're incredibly proud to be leading that growth from the UK."
As the freeze-dried category continues to evolve, the business remains focused on driving innovation, supporting retail partners and helping brands unlock new opportunities within one of the fastest-growing segments of the pet food market.
For more information visit IFD Group or contact the team at hello@ifdgroup.co.uk.
