The largely growing pet care industry has become a great avenue for Indian players to dominate the market
Bangalore: With products like snout butter, massage oils, ice creams, or even breakfast muesli, Indian pet care brands today offer a variety of products to meet with the huge demand in India. This has helped to make pet care more affordable.
The entry of various Indian brands like Heads Up for Tails, Canine India, Poochles, Back in the Day and others has made a dynamic change in the Indian pet care industry, which today values more than Rs. 7500 crores. Brands say that customers spend upto Rs 2000 on an average on purchases. They have noticed a two-fold increase in the demand for made in India products in the last two years.
Nitya, co-founder of Heads Up for Tails, Bangalore, said, “The demand has definitely increased in the last two years. Pet parents make a more conscious effort for their pets.” She also added that due to the lockdown, pet parents now want to invest in a better lifestyle for their pets.
Most products are made with high-quality locally sourced raw materials, which are better alternatives to their imported counterparts. Nitya said, “Most of our treats are preservative free and (are) made with human-grade ingredients. Most imported food products are processed and loaded with ingredients that are not healthy.”
Brands like Canine India, India’s first species-appropriate pet food brand, focus on custom diets to provide pets with the best nutrient-dense food. Julia Pape, founder of Canine India, said, “People have a broader mind space today; they have more resources to care for their pets differently than they did before. They have started looking at commercially available treats and when they see an ingredient like glycerine, they google it and ask “why am I feeding this to my pet?” They put in into perspective (that it isn’t healthy) and make better decisions (so as) to not end up at the vet.”
Pet parents have started to opt for these Indian brands as they are available both in stores as well as online. Anannaya Chatterjee, a pet parent, said, “Products like CBD oil and green-lipped mussel powder was previously not available. I had to import them. But now, I get them easily and it is more cost effective.”
The global animal healthcare market is valued at $ 232 billion. It is estimated to expand at a rate of seven percent in the next five years. Manufacturers said that the demand for species-appropriate medication has led to more players entering the industry. Sanjay Roy, Director of Pharmacon VET Pvt. Ltd. said, “Earlier, vets mostly prescribed human medicines in low doses. Now, there are many new companies playing in this sector who make specific products that are also tasty for pets.”
Indian brands have become a one-stop shop for pet parents. Manufacturers believe that the market is going to expand rapidly with increased competition.
