Success comes in many guises, so it’s important to report that two up and coming challenger brands (Mr Bug and Tiana) within the increasingly dynamic pet food arena recently earned top commendations at the annual Nourish awards, which celebrates the nutritional prowess and ingredient integrity of up & coming food and drinks brands for humans.

As we know only too well, the wellbeing/healthier living movement enjoyed real growth during Lockdown as significant numbers of consumers reviewed their eating habits and embraced better-balanced diets to bolster their bodily defences.  At the same time, ever growing numbers of concerned ‘pet parents’ revisited their dogs and cats old-school eating habits and dug a little deeper into the traditional ingredient decks and health claims of their traditional pet food suppliers.

Mr Bug is an ambitious Devon-based project that celebrates not only the well-rounded ‘superfood’ prowess of the humble mealworm but the manifold sustainable benefits of an entovegan lifestyle.  Insect protein has already made significant headway within the fast-moving pet food arena, however it is a space historically dominated by the bitter-tasting black soldier fly, a high saturated fat mainstay of cattle feed.

Tiana Halal cat food meanwhile has identified the void in halal-friendly cat food, which has historically prompted large numbers of Muslim cat owners to spend inordinate amounts of time producing homemade alternatives, which for all their good intentions may be unwittingly light of essential feline-essential nutrients. Pankaj and his team offer an array of mix of freeze-dried & wet recipes made with human-grade ingredients that meet the distinct needs of this small yet significant market niche.

“The pet food industry is certainly at an exciting crossroads,” said Mr Bug founder Conal Cunningham, “with growing numbers of specialist pet food providers identifying and accommodating a variety of key ‘food minority’ pet owner concerns that mainstream pet food manufacturers have neither the time, tools or inclination to accommodate. Being recognized by an esteemed awards body like Nourish provides brands like Mr Bug & Tiana with invaluable credence and acceptance at pivotal moments in their unique brand journeys.”

Visit Mrbug.co.uk and tianahalalpetfood.com