KANSAS CITY, MO. — With rising demand for pet nutrition products with clean labels, functional benefits and more, pet food manufacturers are having to prioritize transparency with their customers more than ever. Shedding some light on this, Gail Kuhlman, Ph.D., founder of GXK Consulting, kicked off the third annual Pet Food Processing Exchange, a conference hosted by Pet Food Processing and parent company Sosland Publishing Co., by providing attendees with guidance on connecting and building trust with modern pet parents.

The 2026 Exchange, which united pet food industry stakeholders with subject matter experts and suppliers, was held at the InterContinental Kansas City from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1.

During her keynote presentation, Kuhlman discussed what pet owners today are looking for in pet nutrition products, from transparency of ingredients and souring to functional ingredients with science-backed claims. She also offered advice for pet nutrition companies looking to build trust with pet parents, sharing that trust has to be both gained and maintained by remaining transparent and continuously supporting the relationship between the company and its consumers.

“I think the name of the game in pet nutrition is trust, and trust today is built very different than it had been in the past,” she said. “… Today [pet owners] are no longer owning pets, they’re caring for their family, and when you’re caring for your family, the whole mindset changes.”

Read more coverage from the Pet Food Processing Exchange.