Real Pet Food Company unveils US$325M FreshLabs to transform pet nutrition

APAC – Real Pet Food Company (RPF) has launched a sweeping research and development initiative to redefine how pets are nourished across the Asia-Pacific region. 

The program, known as FreshLabs, is being positioned as the region’s first dedicated hub for fresher pet nutrition, and comes with an investment of AUD$500 million (US$325.54 million) over the next decade.

Announced this week, the project seeks to answer a rising health challenge: while pets are living longer, their “health spans”,  the years lived in good health, are shrinking. 

RPF chief executive officer Germaine Chua said the data illustrates a worrying trend. “Pets may be living longer, but research shows their health span, years lived in good health, is declining,” she noted, adding that conditions such as obesity, allergies, gastrointestinal disease and chronic illness are increasing across companion animals.

RPF argues that diet is a core driver of this decline. Fresh pet food, which is less processed and may be freeze-dried, air-dried, gently cooked or raw, has been shown to support vitality, resilience and long-term health. “Put simply, pets aren’t eating enough fresh food,” Chua said.

FreshLabs is designed to accelerate scientific discovery, education and technology development so both veterinarians and pet owners are better equipped to support healthier lives for pets. 

RPF said the investment will also keep the company at the forefront of innovation while enabling it to provide a full suite of products that meet evolving consumer expectations.

The program is underpinned by five major initiatives, including the establishment of an independent advisory board of leading scientists. 

Members include DogRisk founder Anna Hielm-Björkman, Ph.D.; integrative veterinary scientist Nicole Rous; feline nutrition specialist David Thomas, Ph.D.; and small-animal nutrition researcher Emma Bermingham, Ph.D.

FreshLabs will also provide multi-year support for DogRisk at the University of Helsinki and fund a new CatRisk program focused on feline health.

Other elements include a world-first research effort to measure pet health spans across Asia-Pacific, significant investment in fresher kitchen technology for minimally processed diets, and a scholarship program to support postgraduate research.

Hielm-Björkman welcomed the partnership, saying, “When RPF approached us to support our research, I immediately knew this was a company with whom we could work. Their mission is critical to pets everywhere.”

FreshLabs has already begun operating, launching a collaborative research project involving scientists from Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United States. Its advisory board is scheduled to meet for the first time this month.

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