Duane Ekedahl
President, Pet Food Institute.
Duane Ekedahl is president of the Pet Food Institute, the voice of the U.S. pet food industry. Under Mr. Ekedahl’s leadership, PFI has worked through issues as diverse and challenging as declines in pet ownership rates, which resulted in the PFI Pets Are Wonderful (PAW) program; bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the 1990s; and food safety matters of this day. PFI has expanded its membership among firms of all sizes to represent the companies that make 98% of the pet food produced in the United States. Prior to joining PFI, Mr. Ekedahl worked in the pharmaceutical industry as a marketing executive. He holds as Bachelor of Science in chemistry and a Master of Business Administration.
U.S. pet foods continue to enjoy strong support from Japanese consumers.
The Japanese market has been and always will be important for the U.S. pet food companies. Imported products account for a larger share of the market in Japan than domestically made products. As U.S. pet foods continue to enjoy strong support from Japanese consumers, the U.S. remains the leading exporter to Japan.
Euromonitor International estimates that pet dogs and cats in Japan are around 25 million and that the percentage of dog and cat owning households is 20.5% and 12.9% respectively. The market for pets as family members and “companion animals” is expanding, and the pet ownership trend is expected to continue to increase in the future. On the other hand, consumption of commercially prepared pet food in Japan is below 60% while it is over 90% in the U.S., so the Japanese market still holds high potential for growth.
PFI’s Market Access Program in Japan is one of the longest lasting international programs ever undertaken by the association. PFI began its activities in Japan in 1993 and has found great success over the years. PFI works with Japanese colleagues, including the Japanese Veterinary Medical Association, animal welfare groups and others involved in improving the lives of pets. PFI continues its commitment to fostering the bond between people and their pets.
PFI provided substantial input on the development of regulations under Japan’s Pet Food Safety Law and worked closely with FAS and MAFF to ensure that the regulations would provide meaningful protections to consumers without disrupting trade. PFI is strengthening confidence in U.S. products among Japanese consumers, an effort which continues to bear fruit and expand market opportunities for U.S. pet food makers.
