Science-Led Pet Nutrition& Product Development
From nutrition science and formulation to testing, pilot manufacturing and commercialisation.
Guires Pet Nutrition Lab helps pet-food companies, pet-health brands, ingredient companies and entrepreneurs develop scientifically formulated, commercially viable pet nutrition products.
Good pet nutrition starts with good evidence. We turn science into products that pets enjoy and pet parents trust.
Years of R&D
15+More than fifteen years of scientific R&D across the Guires R&D Innovation Centre — from raw ingredients to finished products.
Projects delivered
100+Product development and research projects delivered, built on the 500+ products developed by the Food Research Lab team.
Analytical parameters
50+Nutritional, safety and stability parameters available through our laboratory network.
Countries
10+Countries our clients sell into, with formulas aligned to India, US, EU, UK and Australian rules.
Pet nutrition formulation & pilot contract manufacturing.
Guires Pet Nutrition Lab (PNL) helps brands around the world create science-backed pet food, treats and supplements that pets enjoy and pet parents trust. We bring together pet-parent insight, forward-thinking nutrition science and a broad base of evidence-based ingredients — from proteins and functional actives to palatants, flavours, aromas and colours.
Backed by 15+ years of R&D experience across the Guires R&D Innovation Centre, hands-on work with raw ingredients and dedicated laboratory and pilot facilities, we tailor every solution to your brand. Whether you want to adapt an existing formulation or build a new one from the ground up, we are your end-to-end partner in pet nutrition.
Pet-parent & market insight
Market, competitor and consumer research shapes every brief before formulation starts.
Forward-thinking science
Evidence-based formulation to AAFCO and FEDIAF frameworks, for every species and life stage.
Broad ingredient base
Proteins, functional actives, palatants, flavours, aromas and colours — sourced to your specification.
Formulation to pilot batch
Recipes, prototypes, testing and pilot contract manufacturing under one partner.
Tell us who you are. We’ll show you the route.
Brands, retailers, manufacturers and ingredient companies each need something different. Pick yours.
Pet food & treat brands
Develop, test and launch new products — or improve the ones you sell.
Supplement brands
Actives, formats and claims that stand up to scrutiny.
Retailers & distributors
Own-brand ranges developed, labelled and supplied ready to sell.
Manufacturers
Qualified ingredients, scale-up support and compliance for your lines.
Ingredient companies
Application data and claims evidence that sell your ingredient.
Everything from idea to shelf.
One partner for the science, the testing and the manufacturing — so nothing gets lost between suppliers.
Product Development
Dry, wet, fresh, treats and supplements — developed to be nutritious, manufacturable and commercially viable.
Learn more →Nutrition Science
Species- and life-stage-specific formulation grounded in AAFCO and FEDIAF frameworks.
Learn more →Formulation Services
New recipes, reformulation, cost optimisation and international-market adaptation.
Learn more →Testing & Validation
Nutritional, safety and stability testing through our lab network.
Learn more →Palatability & Feeding Studies
One-bowl, two-bowl, digestibility and feeding studies designed around animal welfare.
Learn more →Pilot Manufacturing
Wet/retort, treat and supplement pilot batches that prove your product can be made.
Learn more →Regulatory Support
Classification, label and claims review for India, the US, the EU, the UK and Australia.
Learn more →Contract Research
Evidence reviews, studies, white papers and technical dossiers.
Learn more →Pick your product. We bring the science.
Every project starts with the species, the format and the nutritional objective. Choose where you're starting and we'll show you how we build it.
Dog Nutrition
Food, treats, supplements and functional nutrition.
Explore → 02Cat Nutrition
Complete foods, complementary foods, treats and functional products.
Explore → 03Pet Food
Dry, wet, fresh and shelf-stable formats.
Explore → 04Pet Supplements
Powders, liquids, oils, chews and complementary products.
Explore → 05Functional Treats
Nutrition + palatability + functional positioning.
Explore → 06Veterinary & Specialised Nutrition
Products developed around specific nutritional requirements, with appropriate regulatory and clinical boundaries.
Explore →A structured path from concept to commercial.
Every project follows the same disciplined sequence, whether it is a single treat or a complete diet range.
Research
Market, competitor and scientific evidence review to define the opportunity.
Formulate
Species, life stage and nutritional objective turned into a costed recipe.
Test
Nutritional, safety and stability analysis of prototypes.
Validate
Palatability, digestibility and feeding studies where required.
Manufacture
Process trials, pilot batches and scale-up.
Commercialise
Label, documentation, sourcing and launch support.
Clear terms. Realistic timelines.
Choose how you want to work, see how long each stage typically takes, and know your idea is protected from the first conversation.
Ways to engage
Single service
One test, study, label review or document — scoped and quoted on its own.
Fixed-scope project
A defined deliverable, such as a new formula or a market-ready label, for a fixed price.
Phased development
Brief to launch in stages, with a go/no-go decision before each phase.
Ongoing partnership
A dedicated technical team for brands with a continuing pipeline.
Typical timelines
Indicative ranges; your proposal confirms exact dates. Estimate your launch timeline →
Where nutrition science becomes product.
Guires Pet Nutrition Lab is built by the team behind Food Research Lab, the Guires R&D Innovation Centre’s food science and product development lab, with 500+ products developed — bringing the same formulation, testing and scale-up discipline to companion-animal nutrition.
Our formulation benches, analytical laboratory and pilot facilities sit within the Guires R&D Innovation Centre ecosystem — so a recipe can move from calculation to prototype to validated pilot batch without changing hands.
- Formulation and product-development laboratory
- Analytical testing through Guires Analytical Lab and qualified partner labs
- Palatability and feeding-study capability
- Wet/retort, treat and supplement pilot manufacturing
Results we have helped create.
Case studies from real projects. Client names are shared only with permission.
A daily synbiotic gut-health supplement for dogs and cats of all ages
A pet supplement brand asked Guires PNL to develop one daily probiotic supplement that supports digestion, nutrient absorption and overall wellbeing for both dogs and cats, at every life stage.
Read the case study →Reverse engineering a premium dry food for medium-sized adult dogs
A pet food brand asked Guires PNL to deformulate a premium dry food for medium-sized adult dogs and rebuild it as their own complete and balanced recipe — matching its nutrient profile and its positioning for active, healthy dogs.
Read the case study →What clients in the USA, UK and UAE say.
“Meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles while staying clean-label and within budget had defeated our in-house team. Their formulation achieved all three.”
“They tested our formula under the heat and storage conditions of our region and delivered audit-ready reports. We launched knowing the product would perform exactly as specified.”
“We wanted an air-dried dog food that stood apart in a crowded market. They took us from recipe development through to packaging specifications and a launch timeline, so every step ahead was mapped out.”
“Their palatability trials revealed how dogs responded to our recipe before we committed to launch. We entered the market backed by real feeding data rather than assumptions.”
“Moving our treat line into pilot manufacturing raised questions about equipment, batch sizes and technology transfer. Their team resolved each one, so we entered full production well prepared.”
“They mapped our product claims against nutritional requirements and flagged feasibility issues before we committed to production. That early input kept our senior-dog range on schedule and spared us a costly reformulation.”
From published science to a pet product that stands up to regulatory review
Every Guires PNL project begins with the published evidence and finishes with the data regulators, retailers and veterinarians expect — taken from the literature where it exists, and generated through laboratory testing, in vitro screening and palatability, digestibility and feeding studies where it does not.
Published research
Peer-reviewed studies behind the nutrients, ingredients and functional actives we formulate with — cited and linked on every service page and article.
Explore →Standards and regulations
Recipes and labels built to the FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines, the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles, IS 11968 and the feed laws of each target market.
Explore →Evidence we generate
Nutritional analysis, shelf-life, safety, in vitro and palatability or feeding data produced for your product, planned around the claims you intend to make.
Explore →Proof from projects
Case studies that show how the evidence was built and what each client received.
Explore →Built to the standards your markets use.
Complete and complementary foods are formulated to the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) Nutritional Guidelines for vitamins, minerals and amino acids. FEDIAF does not certify manufacturers — compliance is verified independently against its published guidelines.
AAFCOProfile alignedProducts for the US and other markets that reference AAFCO meet the minimums and maximums of the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles. AAFCO does not certify products — compliance is verified independently against its published profiles.
BISIS 11968:2019For India, products are developed to IS 11968:2019, the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for dog and cat food.
METALSHeavy-metal testedArsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are tested on every batch, with certificates from NABL-accredited laboratories, against the limits of each target market.
EXPORTDocumentation readyA complete export documentation package for the import requirements of the EU, US, Australia, Japan and ASEAN markets.
GMPCertified partner sitesAll manufacturing takes place at GMP-certified partner facilities, with full batch traceability and documented quality management.
FSSAI-licensed operationsLicence no. 12423999000479
ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systemCertificate no. H3CR9TCU20251212INDQM10NEvery Guires PNL product is formulated to comply with the FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines and the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles. Neither body issues certificates to manufacturers, so compliance is verified independently against their published standards — and every product comes with a complete documentation package for regulatory submissions in the EU, US, Australia and Asian markets.
Final responsibility for product compliance rests with the brand owner placing the product on the market.
Insights for people building pet nutrition.
Science, regulation and product-development thinking from our team.
How kibble is made: extrusion science from mash to bag
The eight steps from mash to bag, the process-variable table we use at the bench, an SME worked example and the failure points at scale-up.
Read article →Starch in kibble: rice, corn, pea and tapioca compared
How rice, corn, pea and tapioca starch differ in kibble: amylose, expansion, digestibility and glucose response.
Read article →Vitamin D toxicity in dogs: what FDA dog food recalls show and how formulation errors happen
Five FDA-recorded vitamin D episodes in US dog food, what each notice said, and the premix and testing controls that prevent them.
Read article →Dog food brands in India: how Indian dog food labels compare with FEDIAF minimums
Label thresholds at three moisture levels, a five-step audit method and a spot check of three dry foods sold in India.
Read article →Dry matter basis: how to compare pet food nutrient levels, with a worked calculation
The three-step dry matter calculation, a worked kibble-versus-can comparison and the energy check that should follow it.
Read article →Worked example: formulating an adult maintenance dog food to the FEDIAF nutritional guidelines
An illustrative adult dry dog food built from the FEDIAF nutrient profile to a label and feeding guide, with every nutrient checked per 1000 kcal in both adult columns.
Read case study →AAFCO nutrient profiles explained: how to read them, what changed and how they compare with FEDIAF
How to read the AAFCO dog and cat profiles and where FEDIAF meets and splits from them.
Read article →How much protein does a dog need? Graded evidence by life stage
AAFCO and FEDIAF protein minimums by life stage, and how strong the evidence is above them.
Read article →“Formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist”: what the claim proves and the evidence file behind it
Which credentials count, and the evidence file a brand needs before the claim goes on pack.
Read article →Chicken meal vs fresh chicken: what the ingredient list does not tell you
Why chicken listed first can supply less protein than chicken meal listed third.
Read article →Why 95% of homemade dog food recipes fall short: the Stockman 2013 study explained
The largest audit of homemade dog food recipes, its limits and what it means for brands.
Read article →How to formulate a complete and balanced dog food: the formulator’s method
The six steps our formulators follow for every recipe, with a worked per-1000 kcal check.
Read article →Calcium and phosphorus in dog food: forms, ratios and limits
How formulators choose mineral sources, set the Ca:P ratio and stay inside puppy and cat limits.
Read article →Recall: two powdered dog supplements withdrawn for possible Salmonella contamination
In September 2026, a US pet brand recalled one lot each of two powdered daily supplements for dogs after an ingredient supplied to its manufacturer tested positive for Salmonella.
Read article →Palatants in dry and wet pet food: what a decade of studies shows
Palatants decide whether a well-formulated food is actually eaten.
Read article →Calculating metabolisable energy (ME) for pet food: methods and pitfalls
Every nutrient in a pet food is judged against its energy content, so the calorie number is the foundation of the whole formula.
Read article →Fresh, functional, premium: where pet food is growing in 2026
Owners are spending more and asking more — for proven health benefits, fresher formats and products made for their pet’s species.
Read article →Formulating for cats: taurine, arginine and vitamin A
Cats are obligate carnivores with nutrient needs that dogs do not share.
Read article →Carbon, packaging and proof: making sustainability claims that stand up
Sustainability claims are everywhere on pet food packs — but regulators and buyers now expect evidence.
Read article →From idea to pilot batch: a founder’s 10 steps
Launching a pet food brand takes more than a good recipe.
Read article →H5N1 and raw pet food: what FDA’s food-safety-plan requirement means
Since January 2025, US manufacturers of cat and dog food made with uncooked poultry or cattle materials must address H5N1 avian influenza in their food safety plans.
Read article →AAFCO label modernization: what the Pet Nutrition Facts box means for your pack
AAFCO’s new model regulations replace the familiar guaranteed analysis with a Pet Nutrition Facts box and move the intended use to the front of the pack.
Read article →Grain-free diets and DCM in 2026: what the evidence says
Eight years after FDA first raised concerns, the link between certain diets and canine dilated cardiomyopathy is still not fully explained.
Read article →Insect and cultivated proteins: formulating with novel ingredients
Insect meals are now established in European pet food, and the first cultivated-meat pet treat went on sale in the UK in 2025.
Read article →Expert panel or in-home panel? Choosing the right palatability study
The right palatability study depends on the question you need answered.
Read article →Selling pet food in India, the US, EU, UK and Australia: a comparison
Five markets, five regulatory models — from state-enforced model rules in the US to voluntary standards in India and Australia.
Read article →Recall: two frozen raw chicken diets for cats and dogs withdrawn after FDA testing found Salmonella and Listeria
In August 2026, a US raw pet food maker recalled one lot each of a frozen raw chicken diet for cats and one for dogs after FDA sampling found Salmonella, and in the dog food also Listeria monocytogenes.
Read article →Recall: kitten milk replacers withdrawn for low levels of essential vitamins and minerals
In August 2026, a US animal health company recalled six kitten milk replacer products sold under two brands after testing found potassium, copper, folic acid, choline and vitamin B6 below intended levels.
Read article →A daily synbiotic gut-health supplement for dogs and cats of all ages
A pet supplement brand asked Guires PNL to develop one daily probiotic supplement that supports digestion, nutrient absorption and overall wellbeing for both dogs and cats, at every life stage..
Read case study →Reverse engineering a premium dry food for medium-sized adult dogs
A pet food brand asked Guires PNL to deformulate a premium dry food for medium-sized adult dogs and rebuild it as their own complete and balanced recipe — matching its nutrient profile and its positioning for active, healthy dogs..
Read case study →Rescuing a premium wet dog food launch after repeated retort failures
A premium Indian pet food brand’s chicken-and-vegetable wet diet failed three production trials in a row after sterilisation.
Read case study →Reformulating a bestselling dry dog food to clean label — without losing palatability
An established Indian pet food brand asked Guires PNL to convert its top-selling adult dry dog food to a clean-label recipe — no artificial preservatives, colours or flavours — with equal palatability, an acceptable shelf life and an unchanged shelf price..
Read case study →From kitchen recipe to 5,000-unit production: scaling a fresh dog food brand in 90 days
A first-time founder had a gently cooked dog food recipe customers wanted to buy — but the contract manufacturer’s first run failed.
Read case study →Have a product idea or a formulation problem?
Share a short brief and a pet nutrition scientist will come back with next steps — no commitment required.