From a kernel of corn to a Labrador's bowl in Europe — this is the journey of pet food made in Qingdao.

The city is home to over 14,000 pet-related companies, producing around 5 billion yuan ($741.23 million) worth of pet food annually. Exports of nearly 2 billion yuan account for about 20 percent of China's total, reaching more than 90 countries and regions.

Qingdao's pet industry is built on a number of major advantages. Shandong's large livestock sector provides stable raw materials, while the city's ports ensure access to efficient global shipping services. The city's pet industry encompasses a wide spectrum of products, spanning dried meats, dental chews, canned products, freeze-dried offerings, nutritional supplements, and functional dry foods, with manufacturing capabilities across the entire value chain. The city now hosts dozens of registered export enterprises, with close to 30 certified to export to the European Union.

Local companies are shifting from contract manufacturing to creating their own brands. From its beginnings as an OEM manufacturer in 2003, Qingdao Magic Pet Products Co Ltd has evolved into a national high-tech enterprise. It pioneered China's first pet toothpaste, first triple-certified pet food factory, and first hairball control paste line, exporting to over 90 countries.

Beyond food, the local industry is also expanding into pet breeding, exotic pet supplies, and veterinary medicine. For example, Qingdao Daren Fucheng Animal Technology Co Ltd produces 13 million mice annually, exporting nearly 100 million yuan worth of the mice.

Qingdao's pet sector now spans breeding, exotic pets, and veterinary medicine. Leading companies include a top Labrador breeding base, a mouse producer with an annual output of 13 million mice, and a veterinary firm supplying more than 10,000 hospitals nationwide.

As China's pet market moves toward the trillion-yuan mark, Qingdao's role within the global pet industry is set to grow even further.

Pet food made in Qingdao is exported to over 90 countries, as the city's pet economy evolves from a focus on OEM manufacturing to building global brands. [Photo/Dazhong News]