Fediaf Annual Congress discusses future-ready pet food

Bringing together policymakers, industry representatives, and stakeholders from across the pet food value chain, this year’s Fediaf Annual Congress will explore the overarching theme: ‘Future-Ready Pet Food: Policy, Innovation and Consumers for the Next Decade.’ It takes place on 10 June from 14:00-17:30 at Cardo Hotel in Brussels (Belgium).

At a time when the European pet food sector is navigating rapid technological progress, evolving consumer expectations, and an increasingly complex regulatory environment, the Congress will provide a platform for forward-looking discussion on how to ensure the sector remains competitive, innovative, and aligned with EU policy developments.

The Fediaf Presidency will open the conference with a strategic address speaking on behalf of an industry that feeds hundreds of millions of pets across Europe and plays a significant role in the continent’s agricultural, manufacturing, and innovation landscape. The address will give voice to concerns shared across the sector: regulatory frameworks struggling to keep pace with scientific progress, lengthy approval pathways for safe and innovative ingredients, and a global competitive environment in which Europe must move faster and more decisively.

In Session 1 ‘The Future of Pet Food: Innovation and Regulation, Moving Forward Together?’ keynote speaker Claire Bury (Deputy Director General, DG Sante, European Commission) will explore whether innovation and regulation can go hand in hand. In a panel discussion Bury, David John (Regulatory Director), Fefana, Matthew Elliott (Scientific & Regulatory Affairs Manager, Mars Petcare) and Owen Ensor (CEO, Meatly) these leading representatives from EU institutions, industry associations and pioneering manufacturers will examine feed additives and novel ingredients and discuss whether the EU’s authorisation procedures are fit for the coming decade.

In Session 2 ‘The European Consumer of 2030 and beyond’ the speakers Herman Konings (Trend Analyst & Consumer Psychologist), Liseth Galvis-Corfe (Consultant, Euromonitor) and Maud Hua-Bulteau (Consumer Insights Lead , Nestlé Purina) will debate whether Gen Z and Gen Alpha will expect from pet food in 2030. This session examines the premium vs. value tension, the accelerating influence of digital platforms, AI-driven personalisation, and new standards of brand transparency — and asks what it will take for companies to genuinely future-proof their consumer relationships.

Registration until 29 May here.