The pet food industry is exploring new ways to develop nutritious products while addressing the environmental impact of ingredient production. One recent initiative from Mars Petcare and Big Idea Ventures is focusing on technologies that could contribute to the future of sustainable pet food.
On September 29, 2026, the organizations announced three startups selected for the 2026 Next Generation Pet Food Program. The program focuses on alternative proteins, fats, oils, and other ingredients with potential to reduce the environmental footprint of pet food.
Three Startups Join the Pet Food Program
The 2026 program selected EcoBean from Poland, Loopworm from India, and Space Ark Biomedical from Taiwan.
Each company is working with different approaches to ingredient innovation. EcoBean focuses on spent coffee grounds, Loopworm develops protein and fat ingredients through insect biotechnology, while Space Ark Biomedical works with materials including okara and brewer’s spent grain.
The three approaches demonstrate how different technologies can be used to explore alternative sources for pet nutrition.
Alternative Ingredients Could Shape Pet Food
The demand for pet food ingredients continues to create opportunities for innovation. Traditional ingredients remain an important part of pet nutrition, but researchers and companies are also investigating new sources.
The Mars Petcare program includes technologies involving plant-based processing, fermentation, insect farming, and other emerging methods. According to Mars, more than half of the applications for this year’s program focused on dry proteins, while around one-third focused on wet proteins.
This indicates that protein innovation remains a significant area of interest in the development of future pet food.
Turning Industrial Byproducts Into Ingredients
One interesting aspect of the program is the use of materials that might otherwise have limited value.
EcoBean works with spent coffee grounds, while Space Ark Biomedical uses okara and brewer’s spent grain as feedstocks for functional protein ingredients.
Using underutilized materials could create opportunities to develop new ingredients while making greater use of existing resources.
However, new ingredients still need to meet nutritional, safety, scalability, and regulatory requirements before they can become widely used in commercial pet food.
Insect Biotechnology Offers Another Approach
Loopworm represents another area of innovation.
The Indian company develops protein and fat ingredients from silkworms using biotechnology. Mars and Big Idea Ventures included insect-based innovation among the approaches being explored through the program.
Insects are being investigated in food and feed applications because they can provide protein and other nutrients, although their wider use depends on factors such as production systems, consumer acceptance, regulation, and economics.
From Research to Commercial Development
The 2026 program is also focused on moving innovations closer to commercial application.
Mars says this year’s applicants faced stricter criteria and were expected to demonstrate greater commercial maturity. The selected startups will receive expert guidance, access to research and development facilities, tailored opportunities, and a $15,000 cash prize.
The program is designed to help promising technologies progress beyond the proof-of-concept stage.
The Next Stage of Sustainable Pet Food
The selected companies are scheduled to present their work at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore from October 27 to 29, 2026.
Their development could provide further insight into how alternative ingredients might eventually enter pet food supply chains.
The latest initiative shows that sustainable pet food is becoming an area of technological experimentation, with companies exploring fermentation, insect biotechnology, side-stream utilization, and other methods.
For pet owners, the immediate products available on store shelves may not change overnight. However, developments such as this could influence how future pet food ingredients are sourced and produced.
