Thai pet-food makers still top dog for US, but tariff pain could bite in 2026

[BANGKOK] Leading Thai pet-food makers may still be top dog in their biggest market – the US – even as higher tariffs threaten to bite their margins, although some players expect the relief to be short-lived.

Despite a 19 per cent levy slapped on most Thai pet-food exports as of Aug 7 this year, sales to the US are exceeding expectations.

One of Thailand’s leading pet-food exporters, i-Tail Corp (ITC), reported a 6 per cent jump in sales in the third quarter of this year to 4.72 billion baht (S$192.2 million) from a year ago. Revenue from exports to the US rose 16 per cent over the same period, accounting for 55 per cent of the total.