How much more does premium wet food cost than kibble?

Wet food costs more per calorie than kibble, because it is mostly water and delivers few kcal per gram. The premium is not read on price per kilo but on the cost of the kcal covered: at equal need, a wet ration mobilises far more product than a dry one. In depth ### The premium comes from the water The wet-food premium is explained by its low caloric density: with often 75 to 80 per cent water, a pouch supplies few calories per gram, so more is needed to cover the requirement. Price per kilo hides this, because it compares products of which a large share of the weight is water. Only the cost per 100 kcal covered measures the real gap between wet and dry. The market reflects this structure. In France, wet food weighed 320,500 tonnes against 847,500 tonnes of dry in 2024, and its growth is carried by premiumisation and humanisation (FACCO, 2024; FACCO, 2025). Worth knowing: wet food also has advantages, such as a useful water intake in cats prone to urinary trouble, so its premium can be a deliberate nutritional choice rather than a mere budget cost. ### Quantify and arbitrate The premium is quantified by comparing the cost of wet and dry kcal, never their price per kilo. An all-wet ration is markedly costlier than a dry ration of equal energy; a mixed ration sits between the two by wet share. The trade-off is a choice between budget and expected benefits, to be framed with a veterinarian where a health need arises (WSAVA, 2021). Comparison table | Format | Water share | Cost per calorie | Reading | |---|---|---|---| | Kibble | low | lowest | dense, energy-economical | | Premium pouch | 75 to 80 per cent | highest | water intake, premium | | Mixed ration | intermediate | intermediate | by wet share | | Valid comparison | on energy basis | cost per 100 kcal | not price per kilo |