Finnish biotech Enifer and Rovio Pet Foods have collaborated to launch a new semi-moist pet treat made with PEKILO.
PEKILO is a high-protein ingredient containing more than 60% protein and an amino acid profile resembling meat that is manufactured by Enifer.
The pair said they developed the new functional treat to give pet food brands a new way to explore PEKILO in a commercially viable treat format.
The project, funded by Business Finland, comes as pet owners are placing greater emphasis on products that offer clearer health and wellness benefits.
As the premiumisation trend continues across the pet care market, brands are under pressure to develop products that go beyond meeting baseline nutritional needs. That is creating room for more differentiated treat formats built around novel ingredients that can deliver strong palatability, reliable manufacturing performance and clearer functional relevance.
"This collaboration with Rovio Pet Foods is an important next step for PEKILO® as we continue translating strong product development interest into concrete commercial applications," said Simo Ellilä, CEO at Enifer.
Pet food is a highly relevant category for sustainable protein innovation and we're pleased to be working with Rovio Pet Foods to bring a new product to market that reflects where the industry is heading on both functionality and ingredient quality.
Enifer has been developing its animal nutrition offering, partaking in Purina's Unleashed accelerator and conducting feeding studies in dogs.
Recent research demonstrated that PEKILO showed high digestibility, excellent palatability, no negative impact on stool quality and biomarker changes linked to immune activity and oxidative balance, supporting its potential as a functional ingredient in pet nutrition.
"Functional treats are a growing area in pet nutrition, but to succeed in that category, the product still has to perform where it matters most — especially in palatability and consistency," added Piritta Koistinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Rovio Pet Foods.
PEKILO stood out as an interesting ingredient because it offered both a novel profile and the reliable raw material performance needed for product development.
Samples of the new semi-moist dog treat will be available at Interzoo 2026 and Enifer will be present throughout the event to discuss the ingredient's broader potential across pet nutrition applications.