2018: The best time to feed your pet some fresh food
Happy New Year! There was probably no better time to be a pet parent in India than this year – 2018. With more awareness, come more offerings. Pet care in India, according to recent studies, is poised to grow positively owing to your heightened awareness on all things pets.
The pet food segment is a spectacular case in point. India’s pet food market is expected to exceed US $270 million by 2019. There are many reasons attributed to this positive outlook: rising per capital disposable income, nuclear families and increasing pet ownership contribute towards pet food being a high-growth segment in the sector.
A recent report by market research firm Packaged Facts, Pet Food in the U.S., 13th Edition, estimates that overall pet food sales shot up by almost 6 per cent and topped $26 billion in 2017. The market is forecast to continue on a respectable growth trajectory annually over the next five years. The scenario is not much different in India.
It’s a positive sign that Indian pet parents are not satisfied with any kind of food, but are actually thinking the overall development of their four-legged companions. In India, pet food used to be predominantly packaged, ready-to-eat products till very recently. Of late, quite a few pet care service providers deliver dog food right at your doorstep. These offerings are personalised to suit a pet’s age, breed, weight and health parameters, apart from being fresh and of home-made quality. They also assure you absolute convenience, being available just a click or call away.
“With pet lovers now more conscious about the products they buy, demand for natural pet products is gaining increasing popularity among pet lovers across all product categories. In line with this trend, manufacturers have been introducing different specialised products, especially in pet food,“ reckons a recent study by Euromonitor International.
There is naturally increased adoption of such food among households, also because of dietary recommendations by vets. Several Indian pet parents are slowly, but surely taking to essential food products that help maintain the health and wellbeing of their pets. According to Euromonitor, the demand for such specialised food is expected to significantly rise over the forecast period.
Apart from food, because of the rising demand for on-demand pet care services such as pet grooming, walking and sitting, the pet humanisation trend is projected to have a positive influence on the entire Indian pet care market in the coming years.
Here’s wishing you best of times and your pet bon appétit in 2018!
