Inside the Multidisciplinary Approach Behind Stronger Pet Food Innovation Outcomes

Anyone who has spent real time in pet food knows the truth: the toughest problems rarely announce themselves. A project may start as a simple formulation update, and within a few days, it becomes clear that the real issue lies in processing, equipment limits, microbial stability, or even in the way a claim is interpreted by regulators. Pet food challenges have layers, and those layers overlap more than most people realize. 

This is the environment BSM Partners works in every day. Nate Thomas and Seth Kaufman originally founded the company in 2011 as a technical consulting group focused on formulation and product development. As the industry grew more complex, BSM Partners expanded its capabilities. Nutritionists, veterinarians, engineers, food safety specialists, regulatory professionals, researchers, and operations experts gradually joined the team. The goal was to build the right mix of expertise so clients could get complete and workable answers to complicated problems. 

Third-party observers sometimes assume pet food issues can be solved one at a time, in a straight line. Inside the industry, it becomes clear that everything is intricately intertwined. For example, a change in a raw material shifts extrusion behavior. A texture issue in canned food points back to thermal processing and pH management upstream. A labeling question triggers a deeper look at nutrient availability or safety margins. No single discipline can fully address these kinds of challenges alone. 

BSM Partners approaches this by assembling teams that reflect the actual structure of the problem. Nutritionists work alongside engineers to ensure a product can run smoothly on the line. Veterinary and regulatory experts collaborate early on so that claims, safety considerations, and compliance expectations are aligned before launch. Food safety professionals evaluate risks while operations specialists assess feasibility and scale. This integrated approach allows problems to be solved at their roots, rather than patched over in isolation. 

This method has supported countless brands as they overhaul entire feline portfolios and fine-tune ingredient decisions for cost and labeling, co-manufacturers as they troubleshoot recurring microbial concerns, and human-grade companies as they move from concept to commercial production. The team at BSM Partners focuses on solutions that hold up under real manufacturing conditions, not just ideal ones. 

In addition to having the expertise, culture plays a major role in how the firm operates. Collaboration is essential, not only within the team and cross-functionally, but with brands to ensure we are moving with their best interest in mind and melting into part of the brand’s team seamlessly. The result is faster diagnosis, cleaner solutions, and smoother paths to execution. 

As consumer expectations rise, regulations shift, and new technologies reshape the category, the need for multidisciplinary problem solving continues to grow. Companies facing challenges that span formulation, processing, operations, safety, or compliance often need more than a single perspective. They need a coordinated team that understands how all those pieces connect. 

BSM Partners was built for exactly that kind of work, and the firm continues to help organizations across the industry navigate the increasingly complex world of pet food development and manufacturing. Reach out to us to learn more about how our multidisciplinary approach can benefit your business! 

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About the Author

Bill Bouldin is a Product Innovation Manager at BSM Partners. He has experience in product development and quality in pet and human food. Bill enjoys woodworking in his spare time.