Domestic vs. Import: Choosing the Right Pet Food Packaging Supplier

It’s no secret — the pet food market is booming. Today, it’s a $42 billion industry and the demand for high-quality, sustainable packaging is growing alongside it. As more pet owners prioritize eco-friendly and premium products for their pets, pet food brands are under pressure to choose the right packaging solutions. 

The decision between sourcing packaging from a domestic supplier or importing is a critical one that has a significant impact on business. In this article, we take a look at the main differences between domestic and import pet food packaging suppliers to help you make an informed choice that supports your company’s goals.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Standards

Strict packaging regulations mean there’s little room for error and mistakes can be costly. Packers can face fines and penalties, and the impact on your reputation may mean losing new and existing customers.  

One benefit of working with domestic suppliers is that they’re more likely to be familiar with FDA and USDA regulations, as well as retail requirements which can change very quickly. Having a domestic supplier that understands these mandates is an ideal sourcing strategy.

On the other hand, import suppliers may not be subject to the same regulations and may not be as responsive to a change in requirements. This means you risk ending up with packaging that doesn’t meet standards and no fast solution to get the right packaging, which can cause major operational roadblocks. Even if you find a foreign supplier familiar with FDA and USDA regulations, they may not be as familiar with retail requirements or sustainability goals that you’re required to meet.  

 

Lead Times

Sometimes you need to move quickly to adjust to new retailer requirements. That’s why it’s risky to have too much packaging on hand—you’re left with stock that you paid for but can’t use. But having too little packaging can cause downtime and limit your ability to keep promises to retail partners.  

Having reliable access to packaging when you need it is critical, so it’s important to know how quickly your supplier can respond when you need to make a change. Domestic suppliers have a geographical advantage and can be more responsive to sudden or unexpected changes.   

Importing can be much more challenging by comparison. International suppliers can face shipping delays, custom checks, and other logistical hurdles, slowing your operation as a result. Not only is the lead time longer, it’s also less predictable — the estimated time of arrival is no more than a guesstimate and can vary greatly depending on any of the factors mentioned above.

 

Cost

Importing pet food packaging may seem like the cheaper option. However, when you account for factors like import duties, you may find your budget stretched by the time you receive your product. In the United States, duty rates can be anywhere between 0% to 37.5%, depending on the product.  

Domestic suppliers offer predictable pricing without many of the hidden costs. Plus, local supply chains can reduce the need to stockpile products. This can mean lower inventory costs, which is especially ideal for smaller packers who may not have the inventory space for large imported orders. 

 

Communication and Responsiveness

Communication challenges can also throw a major wrench in your process. When a supplier is slow to respond to changes or special requests, you could end up wasting money and space on unusable packaging. Working with a domestic supplier may make communication easier—you won’t have to worry about drastic time differences, and mistakes can be corrected sooner rather than later. 

Of course, not all domestic suppliers are created equal. Just because a supplier is domestic doesn’t mean they’ll have great communication. That’s why it’s important to take a close look at how they operate to ensure they’ll be a reliable partner. 

 

Sustainability

Three-fourths of pet owners say environmental issues have affected their pet care purchasing decisions, and for 40% that includes the food they feed their pets. Nearly 75% of pet food purchasers also say they feel more positively about brands that take steps to make packaging more sustainable. 

Sustainability can feel like an impossible challenge. Each new “perfect” solution is either too expensive or requires scarce materials and can’t translate to a larger scale. At Sev-Rend, however, we’re all about finding realistic sustainability solutions. We’re constantly innovating to help companies take steps in the right direction and meet the minimum requirements set by retailers and EPR legislation.    

Packaging from international suppliers, on the other hand, has a larger environmental impact due to long-distance shipping, with shipping contributing to 20% of the world’s total carbon pollution.

 

High-Quality Packaging for High-Quality Pet Food

Choosing Sev-Rend as your supplier means more than just selecting a domestic provider; it’s choosing a supplier that understands the value of partnership. With Midwest roots and a small business mindset, we’re committed to the success of your business and will help you stay on track with your commitments. 

Ready to make the switch to smarter packaging? Connect with one of our packaging experts.