Each week, Just Food’s journalists analyse data on patent filings and grants that illustrate innovation trends in our sector. These patent signals show where the leading companies are focusing their research and development investment – and why. We uncover key innovation areas in the sector and the themes that drive them.
This new, thematic patents coverage is powered by our underlying Disruptor data which tracks all major deals, patents, company filings, hiring patterns and social media buzz across our sectors.
Patents filed by pet-food companies that were linked to the environment were those most often granted during the first half of the year, data shows.
In the six months to the end of June, 602 pet-care patents related to the environment were approved, figures from GlobalData, Just Food’s parent, suggest.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics database contains global figures on the patents filed – and granted – by businesses across multiple sectors. Each patent is classified by theme, including those linked to areas such as the environment, sugar reduction and robotics.
In pet care, health and wellness was the theme that ranked second, with 359 patents linked to the area approved during the opening half of 2023.
GlobalData’s analysis also digs into the number of patents filed by individual companies.
Across all themes in pet care, Purina brand owner Nestlé had 29 environment-related patents given the green light in the opening six months of the year. The Swiss giant had nine of the patents approved in the US.
Ingredients companies DSM and Chr. Hansen ranked either side of Nestlé. DSM had 31 patents cleared and Chr. Hansen a further 16, the data shows.
Digging into the new applications made during the period, health and wellness was the area in which pet companies lodged for new patents most often, the data suggests. There were some 608 of these patents filed for approval during the period.
Nestlé, which also owns pet-food brands including Lily’s Kitchen, topped the list of applicants with 36 moves for new patents.
DSM was second with 35, followed by Colgate-Palmolive with 28.
