Pet Food Label Compliance Guide: What Brand Owners Must Know Before OEM

A pet food label is not just packaging copy — it is a compliance document regulated by national feed law. Many new brand owners focus entirely on formula and package design and overlook label compliance, only to have products rejected before they hit shelves. Here are the mandatory Chinese label fields plus export requirements.

8 Mandatory Fields on a Chinese Pet Food Label

Per China's pet feed labeling regulations:

1. Product Name

The name must clearly reflect the product type. A brand name is allowed, but the generic product type must also appear — e.g., "Complete Adult Cat Food." You cannot label it only as "Cat Nutrition Meal" without indicating dry or wet.

2. Ingredient List

Listed in descending order by weight. Main ingredients must specify the exact source — e.g., "Chicken meal (20%)" — not just "animal-derived ingredients."

3. Guaranteed Analysis

At minimum: crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, crude ash, moisture. Prescription or functional products require additional indicators.

4. Net Weight

Net weight or volume, e.g., "1.5kg" or "100g × 12 pouches."

5. Target Species and Life Stage

Clearly indicate dog or cat, and puppy/adult/all-life-stages.

6. Production Date and Shelf Life

Date format must be clearly readable; codes are not acceptable.

7. Manufacturer Information

Company name, address, production license number (e.g., "Yue Si Zheng 2024 No. 01224"), and product standard number.

8. Feeding Guide and Precautions

Feeding suggestions, water advice, and post-opening storage instructions.

Whose Name Goes on the Label?

This is the most common question:

• **Brand owner** (the client): company name and address
• **Co-packer** (the factory): actual manufacturer name, address, and production license number
• Both must appear. Typical format: "Principal: [Brand Co., Ltd.] Address: [...]" and "Manufactured by: [Factory Co., Ltd.] License: [...]"

Export Label Requirements

Different destinations have different rules:

• **United States**: Must meet AAFCO standards; label minimums for protein/fat/fiber/moisture and maximum ash
• **EU**: Must list feed additive numbers; net weight in metric
• **Japan**: Japanese label; target species and storage instructions
• **Southeast Asia**: Most require local-language labels

Common Label Violations

1. Health claims like "improves coat" or "boosts immunity" on the label — prohibited on pet food labels

2. Ingredient list says "grains" or "meat" without specifying the source

3. Guaranteed analysis lists averages instead of minimum/maximum values

4. Production date printed but illegible

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Working with a co-packer that knows label compliance saves you many headaches. Mixiaoqi pet food OEM/ODM operates its own pet food production line in Nansha, Guangzhou, familiar with both domestic and export label requirements, supporting brands from formula to label review.

FAQ

**What must be on a Chinese pet food label?**

Product name, ingredient list, guaranteed analysis, net weight, target species and life stage, production date and shelf life, manufacturer info (including license number), and feeding guide.

**Whose name goes on an OEM pet food label?**

Both the brand owner and the co-packer must appear, with the co-packer's production license number.

**What's different about export pet food labels?**

US follows AAFCO; EU requires additive numbers; Japan requires Japanese; Southeast Asia mostly requires local languages. Confirm for your specific market.