Southeast Asia Pet Food OEM: Why Betagro Is Going Global

# Southeast Asia Pet Food OEM: Why Betagro Is Going Global

On November 2, 2026, Thai agri-food giant Betagro announced at Pet Fair Southeast Asia 2026 that it is expanding global pet food business, both as a brand and as an OEM manufacturer.

The news

• Company: Betagro (Thailand)
• Move: Expanding global pet food market
• Model: Own brand + OEM
• Event: Pet Fair South East Asia 2026

Why Southeast Asia is rising

1. Raw material advantage

• Thailand is a global seafood leader
• Tuna, shrimp, chicken are cheaper
• Pet food ingredient costs lower than China

2. Export location

• ASEAN free trade zero tariffs
• Preferential access to US and EU
• Logistics to global ports

3. Cost advantage

• Lower labor than China
• Cheaper land and energy
• Lower factory investment

4. Multinational expansion

• Thai Union's iPet just acquired Pet Treats
• Betagro is doing OEM too
• Southeast Asian co-packers going global

Southeast Asia vs China

| Item | China | Southeast Asia |

|------|-------|----------------|

| Raw material cost | Medium | Lower |

| Labor cost | Rising | Low |

| Supply chain | Mature | Developing |

| Export tariffs | Complex | Preferential |

| QC | Mature | Improving |

| MOQ | Flexible | Larger |

China's advantages

1. Complete supply chain — from ingredients to packaging

2. Product diversity — kibble, wet, freeze-dried, treats

3. Speed — fast sampling and formula changes

How brands should choose

China

• Small batch, fast sampling
• Multiple product types
• Flexible formula changes
• China-focused market

Southeast Asia

• Large export orders
• Seafood ingredients
• Tariff advantages
• US and EU markets

Judgment

• Southeast Asia is rising, but won't replace China soon
• China is moving to high-value, small-batch
• Global co-packing is decentralized
• Brands can combine: China sampling + Southeast Asia production

If you're looking for a co-packer that supports small batch and multi-category, Mixiaoqi pet food OEM/ODM leverages China's supply chain advantage.

FAQ

Is Southeast Asia cheaper than China?

Raw materials and labor are cheaper, but supply chain is less complete.

How is Thai pet food quality?

Improving; large factories have international certifications.

Will China be replaced?

No — China's edge is small batch and diversity.