The owner of Pedigree and Whiskas brands is developing meat-free pet food amid rising concerns over the environmental impact of farming.
Mars, which is most famous for its chocolate bar, is said to be experimenting with high-protein and plant-based replacements for chicken, beef and rabbit.
Pets account for one fifth of meat consumption but, as concerns rise, it is anticipated that owners will start to buy their pets vegetarian and vegan alternatives.
The world's second largest manufacturer of pet-food also considered purchasing Quorn foods before deciding to develop its own meat alternatives, a City source told The Sunday Telegraph.
Last year Mars petcare took an £8.2million stake in US company Wild Earth, which uses Japanese Fungus Koji, that goes into soy sauce, to make a protein that resembles the taste of meat for pet food.
At the time Mars Petcare's head of ventures, Ben Jacobs, said: 'We can solve some of the planet's most pressing problems.... [if we] efficiently produce protein while reducing the environmental impact of feeding hundreds of millions of pets.'
The UK's vegan dog food market is currently dominated by smaller producers looking to cater to an ever-growing market.
One supplier, Benevo, boasts of being vegan and vegetarian approved, and offers foods for both cats and dogs. Others include Halo and Zooks vegan dog food.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
