As the trend towards more human-centered pet care continues, the market demand for scientifically formulated and refined pet food continues to rise. Universal staple foods that meet the nutritional needs of the entire life cycle are widely favored for their convenience and scientific basis. Establishing efficient, stable, and compliant production lines for universal staple foods for kittens and adult cats has become a core strategic priority for companies seeking to gain a competitive edge in the market.
1. Path to Establishing a Universal Cat Food Production Line
The core of establishing this type of pet food production line is to produce products that meet the different needs of kittens (high energy, high protein, easily digestible) and adult cats (balanced nutrition, weight management) using the same equipment through precise process design and nutritional science. First, in-depth market analysis and universal formula scientific research are essential; this is the foundation for success. Next, the production process route is determined based on the formula characteristics and target production capacity (e.g., 1 ton/hour, 2 tons/hour), with key considerations including puffing degree, pellet shape, and compatibility of nutrient coating. Subsequently, customized equipment selection and production line layout are carried out to ensure that equipment parameters can be flexibly adjusted to adapt to different formula production.
2. Core Equipment List
A complete general-purpose pet food production line includes multiple types of key equipment：
(1) Pre-processing System: Raw material silo, elevator, primary cleaning screen, crusher, ensuring the raw material particle size meets the requirements of subsequent processes.
(2) Core Processing System: Batching scale, continuous mixer, twin-screw extruder (core equipment, which can produce particles of different densities by adjusting temperature, pressure, and screw configuration), multi-layer dryer/oven, oil and flavoring sprayer (the post-spraying system is crucial for adding heat-sensitive nutrients), cooler.
(3) Post-processing and Packaging System: Vibrating screen, metal detector, automatic weighing and packaging machine (supports bagging and canning).
(4) Support System: Boiler/electric heating system, compressed air system, dust removal system, central control system (PLC, used for precise control of process parameter switching).
3. What is the production process for general-purpose kitten and adult cat food?
The standard production process is a continuous and controlled physical processing procedure:
(1) Raw material receiving and pretreatment: After passing inspection, various raw materials (meat meal, grains, vitamin premixes, etc.) are stored, cleaned, and pulverized to the specified fineness.
(2) Ingredient batching and mixing: According to a specific formula, the ingredients are precisely measured by an automatic batching system and fed into a high-efficiency mixer for uniform dry mixing.
(3) Conditioning and extrusion: The mixture enters a conditioner, where steam and water are injected for maturation. It is then fed into a twin-screw extruder for extrusion molding under high temperature and pressure. The degree of extrusion can be adjusted in real time according to the requirements of kitten (usually higher) or adult cat food.
(4) Drying, spraying, and cooling: The extruded wet pellets are dried in a dryer to remove moisture to meet safe storage standards. They are then evenly sprayed with oils, palatability enhancers, and heat-sensitive nutrients (such as probiotics) in a spraying drum, and finally cooled to room temperature by a cooler.
(5) Screening and packaging: After cooling, the particles are screened to remove the broken parts, and then passed through a metal detector to ensure safety. The particles are then weighed, filled, and sealed by an automatic packaging machine, and the finished products are put into storage.
4. Key Customer Concerns
(1) Start-up Costs: Investment varies widely, depending on the level of automation and production capacity. A moderately automated production line with an hourly output of 1-2 tons requires an equipment investment of RMB 1.5 million to 5 million. Total costs also include factory construction/decoration, environmental protection facilities, initial raw material inventory, certification fees, and working capital.
(2) Factory Space: The area should be no less than 800-1500 square meters, accommodating equipment layout (length over 60 meters), warehousing, auxiliary production areas, personnel access, and future expansion needs. A floor height of at least 6 meters is required.
(3) Production Flexibility: A high-quality pet food production line can flexibly produce kitten food, adult cat food, and specific functional foods of different specifications and nutritional ratios by adjusting the formula, extruder process parameters, mold aperture, and post-coating formula, achieving "one line, multiple products."
(4) Safety and Quality: The highest level of food safety standards must be followed, covering raw materials, workshop environment, equipment hygiene design, and finished product inspection. (5) Start-up Time: From project initiation to stable production, it takes 8-15 months, including scheme design (1-2 months), equipment procurement (4-8 months), factory preparation, installation and commissioning (1-2 months), trial production verification (1-2 months), and certification processing.
(6) Turnkey Solution: A single supplier provides a complete set of services, ensuring high synergy among subsystems, shortening the production cycle, and guaranteeing stable product quality.
(7) Processing Technology: Twin-screw extrusion technology is superior to single-screw technology and is suitable for complex formulations; post-coating technology determines the effectiveness of adding heat-sensitive nutrients.
5. Conclusion
Establishing a universal staple food production line for kittens and adult cats represents a deep integration of technology, nutritional science, and modern management. It is a systematic project that balances precise formulation, flexible intelligent equipment, and stringent quality control. Enterprises need to consider both initial investment and long-term operational efficiency. In the context of industry specialization and standardization, partnering with a turnkey solution provider possessing full-chain service capabilities is a sound choice for efficient project implementation and market success.
6. Dedicated Solution Consulting
If you plan to enter or upgrade your pet food production business, Shandong Arrow's professional team can provide comprehensive support:
(1) Customized overall solutions.
(2) Process flow and 3D layout design.
(3) Equipment list and budget analysis.
(4) Project delivery schedule.
(5) Full installation, commissioning, and training.
(6) Long-term process optimization services.
Email：info@arrowextrusion.com
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info@arrowextrusion.com