Wet Pet Food Pouch Manufacturing: Pouch vs Can

# Wet Pet Food Manufacturing Guide

Wet food is one of the fastest-growing categories. But wet food production lines are completely different from dry food.

Wet food formats

| Format | Packaging | Shelf life | Cost |

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

| Pouch | Foil bag | 12-24 months | Low |

| Can | Steel can | 24-36 months | Medium |

| Cup | Plastic cup | 12-18 months | Medium |

| Tetra | Carton | 9-12 months | Medium-high |

Pouch vs can

Pouch pros

• Lightweight, low shipping cost
• Easy to open and squeeze out
• Low material cost
• Good for small portions (70-150g)

Pouch cons

• Can tear
• Cannot hold large meat chunks
• Shorter shelf life

Can pros

• Long shelf life
• Whole meat chunks
• Premium feel

Can cons

• Heavy and expensive to ship
• Needs opener
• Higher material cost

The process

1. Prep meat and broth

2. Automatic filling

3. Vacuum sealing

4. Retort sterilization

5. Cool, label, pack

Choosing a co-packer

1. Do they have dedicated wet food lines?

2. Can they control broth viscosity and chunk size?

3. What pouch/can sizes are available?

4. How do they monitor seal strength and micro levels?

MOQ and cost

• Pouch: 5,000-10,000 per SKU
• Can: 10,000-30,000 per SKU
• Sampling: $420-$1,400
• Lead time: 25-40 days

Common pitfalls

1. Using a dry food factory for wet food

2. Not testing seal integrity

3. Ignoring palatability trials

4. Underestimating retort time

If you want to add wet food to your line but are unsure whether to start with pouches or cans, Mixiaoqi pet food OEM/ODM supports both pouch and small can sampling.

FAQ

Which is better, pouch or can?

Pouches are cheaper and lighter; cans have longer shelf life.

What is the MOQ?

5,000 pouches or 10,000 cans.

Are cat and dog wet food formulas different?

Yes. Cats need more taurine and animal protein.