Peer-reviewed evidence
Real ingredient composition
Raw materials vary: in 200 samples of one poultry meal, ash varied by about 20%.
What we do
Formulas use analysed raw-material values, not book values, with specifications for each supplier.
Formulation Services · Cost Optimisation
Cost optimisation, without cutting nutrition.
Reduce recipe cost through ingredient choice, supplier specifications and processing efficiency — while protecting nutrient targets, palatability and quality.
Guires Pet Nutrition Lab
Pet Food Cost Optimisation from Guires PNL
Ingredient prices move constantly, and recipe cost is usually the largest single cost in a pet food. Cutting it carelessly risks nutrient shortfalls, poorer palatability or a product that no longer matches its label.
We model cost against the full nutrient profile, test alternative ingredients and suppliers on analysed values, and confirm that the optimised recipe still meets its targets, its palatability and its claims before any change is made.
Start your project with Guires PNLWhat We Do
Cost Optimisation services.
Every formula is balanced on energy, checked against minimums and maximums for your market and verified by laboratory analysis.
Least-cost modelling
Recipes optimised for cost within every nutrient minimum and maximum.
Ingredient substitution
Lower-cost or more available ingredients assessed for nutrition and processing.
Supplier specifications
Specifications that reduce variation and over-formulation safety margins.
Premix and overage review
Vitamin and mineral overages set from retention data, not habit.
Palatant efficiency
Palatant systems reviewed for cost-in-use and acceptance.
Processing efficiency
Throughput and energy use improved through recipe design.
Scientific Challenges
What we solve for.
01
Hidden nutrient risk
Cheaper ingredients can carry lower or more variable nutrient content.
02
Over-formulation
Wide safety margins cost money; better data allows tighter, safer targets.
03
Palatability loss
Cost changes must be checked against acceptance, not assumed.
04
Fibre and digestibility
Crude fibre hides differences in total dietary fibre that change energy and stool quality.
How We Work
From question to evidence.
Baseline
Current cost and nutrient profile.
Model
Least-cost options within all limits.
Assess
Ingredient and supplier data checked.
Prototype
Bench samples of the best options.
Confirm
Analysis and palatability checks.
Implement
Updated recipe and specifications.
Evidence
The science behind our approach.
Peer-reviewed findings that shape how we design and interpret this work.
Peer-reviewed evidence
Fibre, measured properly
Crude fibre on labels underestimates fibre; total dietary fibre predicts energy digestibility better.
What we do
Fibre systems are designed on total dietary fibre, soluble and insoluble, not crude fibre alone.
Peer-reviewed evidence
Mycotoxins rarely occur alone
A 2026 survey of 126 dog and cat foods found fumonisin B1 in over 94% and more than one mycotoxin in over 92% of products.
What we do
Multi-mycotoxin screening of ingredients and finished product, not single-toxin tests.
Deliverables
What you take away.
- Cost model with savings per tonne
- Nutrient impact of each option
- Ingredient and supplier specifications
- Prototype and palatability confirmation
- Updated recipe ready for production
Other formulation services
Applications
Functional nutrition we build into cost optimisation.
Each application has its own page with the evidence, the actives and the claim boundaries we work within.
Weight Management
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Lighter, more satisfying diets that help pets reach and keep a healthy weight.
Digestive Health
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Firm stools, comfortable digestion and a balanced gut microbiome.
Skin & Coat
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A healthy skin barrier and a glossy coat, driven by the right balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, protein quality and key micronutrients.
Oral Care
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Chews, kibbles and treats that help keep teeth clean and breath fresh.
Ingredients for better cost-in-use
Alternative proteins, fibres, fats and palatants are assessed for nutrient contribution, variability and processing — and sourced to a specification that keeps cost predictable.
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Insightsimages/article-8.jpg · 1600×1200
Market insights from Guires PNL scientists
Regulation updates, the latest research, recalls and market trends that shape cost optimisation — written by our formulation, testing and regulatory teams.
FAQs
Common questions.
How much can we save?
It depends on the recipe and market; we show the saving and its nutrient impact for each option before you decide.
Will quality suffer?
Every option stays within your nutrient targets and is confirmed by analysis and, where needed, palatability testing.
Can you source the new ingredients?
Yes. Our sourcing team can find and qualify suppliers to the new specification.
Client Testimonials · Formulation Services
What our clients say.
Clients in the USA, UK and UAE on working with Guires PNL. Names are withheld at clients’ request.
“Meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles while staying clean-label and within budget had defeated our in-house team. Their formulation achieved all three.”
“With no in-house nutritionist, we needed a hypoallergenic formula built from scratch. They delivered the full recipe, explained the reasoning behind every ingredient and supplied a specification our manufacturer used directly.”
“Our functional treat line needed targeted joint-health ingredients that stayed stable through manufacturing. The recipe they developed met both requirements and came with thorough nutritional records.”
Planning cost optimisation?
Tell us your product, your question and your market — our scientists will come back with a study design and next steps.
FEDIAFAAFCO
Every 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.
How we verify compliance →