Best Pet Food Manufacturers in Canada for 2026

Quick Answer: Canada has a growing number of pet food manufacturers offering private-label, contract-manufacturing, organic, wet, dry, and freeze-dried options for pet food brands. The largest concentration of pet food manufacturing facilities is in Ontario and British Columbia. 

Did you know that pet ownership and humanization are on the rise? 

This increase is causing more demand for premium and functional pet food products, and ecommerce has made it easier than ever for new brands to reach pet owners directly.

But before you can sell a single bag of kibble or a pouch of wet food, you need to think of one thing: Who is going to make your product?

There are many pet food manufacturers in Canada, and in this article, we’ll explain how pet food is manufactured in Canada, what types of manufacturers are available, what certifications to look for, and how to choose the right manufacturing partner for your brand. 

You will also discover the major differences between private label, contract manufacturing, and custom formulation.

The Canadian Pet Food Industry: A Quick Overview

Before exploring the different types of manufacturers and how to choose one, you must first understand the size and shape of the market you are entering.

The Canadian pet food market was valued at approximately USD 5.38 billion in 2025 and is predicted to reach USD 7.41 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.47%. 

As of 2022, there were 135 animal food manufacturing establishments in Ontario alone. Dog food is the largest category in Canada, valued at USD 2.08 billion, and Mars Incorporated holds the leading market share at 22.53%. 

Dry pet food currently has a dominant share of the Canadian pet food market, but that is slowly changing. Premium wet food, raw, freeze-dried, and functional formats are all becoming widely popular among pet owners.

The highest pet food manufacturers are in these places:

• Ontario 

• Quebec

• British Columbia

• Alberta

• Manitoba

If you are launching a pet food brand in Canada and sourcing a domestic manufacturer, Ontario should be one of the best places to start.

Pet Supplement Regulations in Canada: What You Need to Know

In Canada, most animal supplements are classified as Veterinary Health Products (VHPs). These are low-risk products in dosage form used to maintain or promote the health and welfare of animals. They are not for treating, preventing, or curing disease. The moment a product makes that kind of claim, it is no longer a VHP. It becomes a veterinary drug.

VHPs are regulated under the Food and Drugs Act and administered by Health Canada through the VHP Notification Program, which has been in effect since November 2017. 

Anyone planning to manufacture, import, distribute, or sell a VHP in Canada must comply with this program's rules. That includes your manufacturer.

Common VHP ingredients include:

• Vitamins and minerals

• Herbal and botanical extracts

• Probiotics and prebiotics

• Amino acids

• Omega-3 fatty acids

• Traditional medicine substances

All active, homeopathic, and traditional medicine substances used in a VHP must appear on Health Canada's List C: Veterinary Health Products. 

List C is Health Canada's official list of permitted substances for Veterinary Health Products. It specifies every ingredient that is approved for use in a VHP, along with the acceptable doses, dosage forms, recommended uses, and any mandatory label statements that must accompany each ingredient. 

If any ingredient in your formula is not on that list, you must submit a New Substance Application before you can include it.

Veterinary Health Products (VHP) Compliance Requirements: The Non-Negotiables

If you are launching a pet supplement product in Canada, here is exactly what Health Canada requires.

• Notification before selling: You must notify Health Canada at least 30 days before selling a VHP in Canada, before making any change to a product that has already been notified, and before importing a VHP into Canada. A submission fee of $578 CAD applies per notification. Once Health Canada completes their review, they issue a Notification Number (NN) that must appear on the product label

• GMP compliance: Every company that manufactures, packages, labels, imports, distributes, or stores a VHP must comply with Good Manufacturing Practices. This is a legal requirement that applies directly to your manufacturer

• Ingredient compliance: Every active ingredient, homeopathic substance, and traditional medicine in your product must be listed on Health Canada's List C. Ask your manufacturer to confirm this before you finalize any formula

• Label compliance: Every VHP label must include the bilingual statement "Veterinary Health Product / Produit de santé animale," the Notification Number, a full ingredient declaration, dosage instructions, and all required cautionary statements. Labels must comply with the Food and Drug Regulations and include any mandatory statements specified on List C

• Adverse reaction reporting: Any serious adverse drug reactions must be reported to Health Canada

• Change notifications: If you change your formula, label, or manufacturer after your VHP has been notified, you must notify Health Canada at least 30 days before the change takes effect

Top Pet Food Manufacturers in Canada

Champion Petfoods (Mars)

Champion Petfoods is the leading pet food company headquartered in Canada, founded in a small town in Alberta. 

It now sells its products in over 90 countries and generated $200 million in sales in 2022. Their Orijen and Acana brands are among the most recognized premium pet food brands globally.

Mars acquired Champion in 2022, showing you the value of premium positioning in the Canadian pet food market. 

Note that Champion is not a contract manufacturer; they produce their own branded products. But they represent the standard for what a premium Canadian pet food brand can achieve. 

Elmira Pet Products

Elmira Pet Products is Canada's largest private label dry pet food manufacturer, providing customized nutrition solutions for global brands. 

They are the go-to Canadian manufacturer for brands looking for private-label dry kibble. 

Their experience, scale, and focus on nutritional quality make them one of the most reliable options for new and established brands entering the dry pet food category. 

The Crump Group

The Crump Group is a family-led Canadian pet food company behind the Crumps' Naturals, Caledon Farms, and Dog Delights brands, and was recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies for 2026. 

The company produces all-natural, single-ingredient, and limited-ingredient pet treats and food for pets across North America. 

The Crump Group is based in Mississauga, Ontario and represents the type of quality-focused Canadian pet food manufacturing that the market increasingly demands. 

Simmons Pet Food

Simmons Pet Food has operations in Mississauga, Ontario. 

Simmons is one of the largest wet pet food manufacturers in North America and plays a significant role in the Canadian contract manufacturing industry, particularly in canned and pouch wet food formats. 

PLB International

PLB International is a Canadian pet food company based in Boucherville, Quebec, with approximately $50 million in sales. 

PLB operates in the private label and contract manufacturing industry and serves brands across Canada and internationally. 

United Petfood (Drummondville, Quebec facility)

United Petfood, a Belgian manufacturer, acquired a dry production facility in Drummondville, Quebec, marking its first dry production site in Canada. 

The Jupiter facility began operations in 2023 and produces several lines of dry pet food. 

United Petfood is one of the largest private label wet and dry pet food producers globally, and its Canadian facility provides major contract manufacturing capacity to the market. 

How to Get Your Pet Supplement Licensed in Canada: Step by Step

Step 1: Confirm your product qualifies as a VHP

Your product must be a finished product in dosage form, contain only permitted ingredients from Health Canada's List C, make no therapeutic claims, and use only approved routes of administration such as oral, topical, optic, nasal, or dental. If your product does not meet all of these criteria, it does not qualify as a VHP and must follow a different regulatory pathway.

Step 2: Verify ingredient compliance

Every active and inactive ingredient must appear on Health Canada's List C: Veterinary Health Products. If any ingredient is absent from this list, you must submit a New Substance Application before including it in your notification. Do this before you finalize your formula.

Step 3: Prepare your notification package

A complete VHP notification includes your product name and dosage form, a full ingredient list with quantities, the intended species and indications, quality documentation covering identity, purity, and potency, GMP compliance records from your manufacturer, and a draft label that meets all of Health Canada's labelling requirements.

Step 4: Submit to Health Canada

Notify Health Canada at least 30 days before you plan to sell or import the product in Canada. A submission fee of $578 CAD applies per notification. Health Canada reviews your submission and issues a Notification Number (NN) upon successful completion. That number (NN) must appear on your product label before you can legally sell.

Step 5: Make sure your label is fully compliant

Your label must include the bilingual designation "Veterinary Health Product / Produit de santé animale," the Notification Number, full bilingual content in English and French, a complete ingredient declaration, dosage instructions, and all required cautionary statements as specified on List C.

Step 6: Meet your ongoing post-market obligations

Getting your NN is not the end of your compliance responsibilities. You must notify Health Canada at least 30 days before making any change to a notified VHP. These changes might include a formula update, a label change, or a switch to a different manufacturer. Any serious customer complaints and reactions must also be reported to Health Canada as they occur.

Which Canadian Province Has the Most Pet Food Manufacturing Facilities?

Ontario has 135 animal food manufacturing establishments as of 2022. 

This makes Ontario, and particularly the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding regions such as Elmira, Mississauga, and Vaughan, the primary hub for pet food manufacturing in Canada.

Quebec is the second most active province, with manufacturing activity in the Saint-Hyacinthe and Montreal areas. British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba are among the top five, with facilities in Edmonton, Vancouver, and Winnipeg, respectively.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right pet food manufacturer in Canada is the foundation of a successful pet brand. But manufacturing is only the beginning. Once your product is made, you still need to build a customer base, drive traffic, and retain the customers you acquire.

Pro Marketer can help you do that. We work with pet brands at every stage of growth, from initial launch to scaling revenue through paid media, email, Amazon, and TikTok Shop. 

If you are building a pet food brand and want to make sure your ecommerce strategy is set up to grow profitably, book a free consultation with Pro Marketer. 

FAQs

1. What is the 25 rule for pet food?

The 25 rule is a pet food labelling guideline that applies to ingredient naming on product labels. Under this rule, if an ingredient makes up 25% or more of the total product by weight, that ingredient can be featured in the product name. For example, a product containing 25% or more chicken can be called a chicken formula or chicken recipe. 

2. Who is the biggest pet food manufacturer in Canada?

The leading pet food company headquartered in Canada is Champion Petfoods, which operates brands including Orijen and Acana and sells in over 90 countries. 

However, the largest pet food company operating in Canada by overall market share is Mars Incorporated. 

3. Can I private label pet food in Canada with a Canadian manufacturer?

Yes. Elmira Pet Products is Canada's largest private label dry pet food manufacturer, providing customized nutrition solutions for global brands. 

Several other Canadian manufacturers also provide private label services across dry, wet, treat, and freeze dried formats. 

Private label pet food manufacturing in Canada allows you to bring a branded product to market without developing a proprietary formula or investing in your own manufacturing infrastructure. 

4. Which Canadian province has the most pet food manufacturing facilities?

Ontario has 135 animal food manufacturing establishments. The province is home to the largest concentration of pet food manufacturing companies in Canada, with major facilities in Elmira, Mississauga, Vaughan, and surrounding areas. 

Quebec is the second most active province for pet food manufacturing, followed by British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba. 

5. What certifications should I look for in a Canadian pet food manufacturer?

The most important credential to verify is CFIA compliance, which is mandatory for any manufacturer producing pet food sold in Canada. 

You should also look for third-party food safety certifications such as SQF (Safe Quality Food), HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points), and ISO 22000. 

For organic pet food brands, ask whether the manufacturer holds organic certification from a CFIA-accredited certification body.