Enifer and Rovio Pet Foods launch mycoprotein pet treat

Enifer has pushed its mycoprotein out of the lab and into a semi-moist dog treat with Rovio Pet Foods, a move that shows how pet nutrition is becoming the first real commercial proving ground for novel proteins. The product, announced on May 12, 2026, uses PEKILO, which Enifer says carries more than 60% protein and an amino acid profile that resembles meat.

That matters because Enifer is positioning PEKILO not as a one-off ingredient, but as a drop-in platform for pet food. The company describes PEKILO®Pet as a fermentation-derived, animal-free ingredient with neutral taste and color, around 60% protein and 22% fiber, including fungal beta-glucans. In practice, that gives formulators something more useful than a headline-grabbing novelty: a protein source that can be worked into functional treats without blowing up palatability or manufacturing consistency.

Rovio Pet Foods brings the commercial packaging side of the story. Based in Finland, the company develops and manufactures dog and cat food products, including white-label products for international customers. Its focus on scientifically grounded nutrition and new treat concepts fits neatly with the kind of premiumization now reshaping pet aisles, where buyers are looking for products that promise more than basic calories and where brands are hunting for a differentiated protein story they can sell.

The launch also lands at a meaningful moment for Enifer’s scale-up. The company says it follows its first four-ton commercial batch, which is the sort of milestone that separates serious ingredient businesses from startup-stage promise. Enifer has also said its new €33 million production facility was on schedule to begin production by early 2026, signaling that the Rovio treat is part of a broader move from pilot output to industrial production.

The technical case for PEKILO is being built in dogs first, which is exactly where many alternative proteins gain credibility before anyone starts talking about human food at scale. Enifer says a 60-day feeding trial involving 16 dogs, led by Professor Ananda Félix, found high digestibility, good palatability and no negative impact on stool quality. Enifer also says no adverse reactions were observed, and earlier material says PEKILO®Pet may support gut health by boosting beneficial gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acid production.

That mix of performance data and manufacturing progress is what makes the Rovio treat more than a novelty. Enifer is using pet food to prove that fungal protein can work in a commercially relevant format, and it is broadening the case beyond dog treats to aquafeed and food production. Samples are set to be available at Interzoo 2026, giving the launch a trade-floor moment and another chance to turn curiosity about mycoprotein into real buyer interest.