Joint Health in Pets: Market Opportunities for Native Type II Collagen

A market driven by joint health

Joint health has established itself as one of the most relevant therapeutic categories within the global market for pet food ingredients.

According to the Growth Opportunities in Global Pet Food Ingredients, 2024–2030 report by Frost & Sullivan, the Hip & Joint Health category represents 14% of total pet food ingredient revenues in 2023, ranking as the second largest category by business volume, behind digestive health only.

Projections indicate this position will be maintained and even grow slightly to 14.3% by 2030, in a global market set to expand from $1,883.5 million in 2023 to $2,781.6 million in 2030 (CAGR of 5.7%).

These figures become even more meaningful when the underlying drivers are examined. Osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent diseases in dogs, cats and horses.

• According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), around 25% of dogs are affected by osteoarthritis at some point in their lives, while X-rays show signs of the disease in up to 90% of cats, although not all present clinical symptoms.

The combination of longer pet lifespans, rising pet ownership rates, and growing owner awareness of joint health are all factors driving sustained demand for functional ingredients in this area.

The impact, however, goes beyond the animal itself.

• Osteoarthritis is one of the diseases that most profoundly affects the relationship between a pet and its owner: it involves a higher daily care burden —medication, specialised diets, pain monitoring—, ongoing financial costs —veterinary visits, supplements, anti-inflammatories— and, frequently, the need to adapt the home environment to support the animal's mobility.
   
• Added to this is the emotional strain of accompanying a pet through progressive decline. This human dimension of the problem reinforces the demand for preventive and long-term management solutions, placing functional joint health ingredients at the centre of a market opportunity with a solid foundation that is both scientific and emotional.
   

Collagen in animal nutrition: segments, formats and growth potential

Within the landscape of joint health ingredients —where glucosamine and chondroitin remain the most widely used due to their extensive scientific base and cost-effectiveness—, collagen is emerging as one of the segments with the greatest growth potential.

The global collagen market for pet food ingredients reached $67.5 million in 2023 and is projected to reach $120.0 million by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.6% in revenue, above the total market growth rate.

Undenatured native type II collagen stands out for preserving its three-dimensional structure intact, which allows it to act through an immune-mediated mechanism known as oral tolerance. This means it works with the animal's own immune system to modulate the inflammatory response in the articular cartilage, helping to reduce its natural degradation.

How does native type II collagen act on joint health in animals?

Its efficacy at low doses with once-daily administration distinguishes it from collagen peptides, which require larger amounts to achieve comparable effects.

Animal model studies have demonstrated that only the undenatured form provides joint health benefits through this mechanism, while denatured collagen —although it acts via different pathways— does not replicate this specific effect.

• The undenatured type II collagen segment is recording a revenue CAGR of 6.9% between 2021 and 2030, growing from $10 million in 2021 to a projected $17.9 million in 2030.

While its current market share is lower than that of collagen peptides, its functional differentiation and the scientific robustness that supports it make it a high-value-added ingredient with significant room for growth.

This differential efficacy profile —backed by scientific evidence and validated in companion animal studies— is what makes this innovative functional ingredient a strategic asset within our portfolio for the pet market. Our native type II collagen, Collavant® n2, is specifically formulated to capitalise on this opportunity in the fastest-growing channels.

The market opportunity for Collavant® n2

Undenatured native type II collagen is an effective ingredient at low doses with once-daily administration, which distinguishes it from collagen peptides, which require larger amounts to achieve comparable effects.

In this context, Collavant® n2 is positioned as a differential solution for pet health product formulators. Its market opportunity is built primarily around two channels:

Functional supplements and therapeutic snacks

This is by far the most dynamic channel and the one that concentrates the most qualified demand for joint health ingredients.

Supplements in chew, treat or topper format allow ingredients such as Collavant® n2 to be incorporated at precise doses with specific health claims. Its low-dose efficacy gives formulators greater freedom to complete their nutritional matrix with complementary actives to optimise per-dose efficiency. 

Furthermore, by requiring less space in the formula, it facilitates the development of more targeted products with shorter labels, better aligned with the expectations of premium consumers.

In short, Collavant® n2 becomes a formulator's ally: it brings differentiation, boosts the efficacy of the final product, and opens the door to more innovative joint mobility solutions for pets.

Frost & Sullivan identifies this segment as the fastest growing within the pet food ingredients market, driven by the humanisation of pets and the increasing demand for demonstrable therapeutic benefits. Formulators working in this space seek ingredients with the scientific support needed to substantiate on-label claims and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

Particularly relevant in this respect is the evidence generated around combination formulations. In 2022, we conducted a study to evaluate the effect of Collavant® n2 combined with Mobilee® (our hyaluronic acid matrix ingredient) and with glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate. The results demonstrated more effective joint health support compared to the use of collagen alone, opening the door to more complete value propositions for formulators.

These types of combinations directly respond to the trend that Frost & Sullivan identifies as a key driver of future segment growth: the formulation of combined ingredients capable of delivering faster, measurable results.

Specialised diets

Although with slower penetration than supplements, diets for joint health represent a second growth pathway.

The specialised diet segment for joint health is one of the most established in the petfood market. However, this same level of maturity opens the door to ingredients capable of delivering real differentiation and improving formulation efficiency.

Collavant® n2, native (undenatured) type II collagen, presents itself as an innovative solution for formulators looking to elevate the performance of their recipes without altering what already works. Thanks to its efficacy at very low doses, it frees up space in the nutritional matrix, facilitates the inclusion of other key nutrients, and optimises the functional profile of the diet.

For the formulator, this translates into:

• Flexibility to design more complete diets without compromising space or cost.
• Added value in a highly competitive segment.
• Technological advancement over traditional or established ingredients.

Incorporating Collavant® n2 does not mean replacing classic approaches, but enhancing them with a modern, efficient solution aligned with the market's evolution towards more advanced, scientifically supported products.

With a Hip & Joint Health category representing over $264 million in the global pet food ingredients market and a UC-II segment on an upward trajectory, our Collavant® n2 proposition for animal health arrives at the right moment, with the scientific backing required and in the formats the market demands.

Market data source:  Frost & Sullivan, Growth Opportunities in Global Pet Food Ingredients, 2024–2030.