Slowing Down, the Feline Way:
What Europe’s Cat Cafés Tell Us About Wellbeing

In the European pet food market, natural and premium are among the most frequently used terms. While they are often perceived as interchangeable, they actually describe different dimensions of product quality, with distinct implications for formulation, positioning and communication.

For manufacturers, distributors and retailers, understanding this distinction is essential to build credible assortments, meet the expectations of modern pet owners and communicate product value accurately.

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What Does “Natural Pet Food” Mean?

According to the principles outlined in the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice, the term natural in pet food relates specifically to the nature of ingredients and the processes applied to them.

In this context, natural ingredients are those that:

• are derived from plants, animals, microorganisms or minerals found in nature,

• have not been chemically altered,

• are processed only through physical methods such as heating, drying, freezing or mechanical treatment,

• do not contain artificial colourings, flavourings or technologically synthesised substances.

When referring to additives, a natural designation applies only if the substance exists in nature and is obtained exclusively through physical extraction processes.

Within the FEDIAF framework, natural therefore describes what an ingredient is and how it is obtained, not the overall nutritional ambition or positioning of the product.

Important to note: a natural positioning, as defined by industry guidance, does not in itself indicate the level of formulation complexity, nutritional strategy or product performance.

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What Defines a Premium Pet Food?

Premium refers to the overall value system behind a product, rather than to a single attribute or ingredient claim.

A premium pet food is typically characterised by:

• selective sourcing of raw materials based on defined quality criteria,

• formulation developed within recognised nutritional frameworks,

• clear, accurate and transparent labelling,

• controlled and consistent manufacturing processes,

• coherence between product promise, quality level and price positioning.

Premium is not a descriptive label, but a structured and measurable approach to quality, covering formulation, production and market communication.

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Natural and Premium: Competing or Complementary Concepts?

Natural and premium are not mutually exclusive, nor do they represent the same concept.

• Natural focuses on ingredient origin and processing,

• Premium focuses on formulation expertise, reliability, safety and consistency.

As a result, a product can be:

• natural without being premium,

• premium without being entirely natural,

• or both, when ingredient selection and formulation strategy are aligned within a clear quality system.

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What the European Trade Really Looks For

Across Europe, professional buyers increasingly assess products based on:

• manufacturer reliability and production standards,

• formulation competence and transparency,

• clarity and credibility of claims,

• alignment with evolving consumer expectations,

• the brand’s ability to educate the market, not simply apply labels.

Today, premium in pet food is increasingly associated with knowledge, consistency and trust, rather than with terminology alone.