BENGALURU: India is emerging as a key growth frontier for the global pet care industry, with the country likely accounting for about 30% of emerging-market pet adoption growth expected over the next five years.
In an exclusive interview with Mint, Satinder Singh, general manager, Royal Canin, said, “about 85% of the increase in pet adoption globally will come from emerging markets, and India will contribute a significant part of that growth.”
But the opportunity rests on a thin base. Singh said packaged penetration in India remains in single digits, compared with much higher levels in developed markets, leaving room for both premiumization and category expansion.
India has now become a “priority market” for Royal Canin and Mars Petcare globally, even though the country currently contributes only around 1% to the company’s global business.
The shift comes as India’s pet care market expands rapidly and attracts growing corporate and investor interest. According to Euromonitor International, the market grew from $690.5 million in 2023 to $786.6 million in 2024 and was estimated at $884.4 million in 2025. India’s pet population rose about 5% in 2024 and was projected to reach nearly 39 million in 2025, driven by a growing base of pet owners willing to spend on nutrition and healthcare.
The category has drawn both venture capital and large consumer companies. Godrej Consumer Products entered the segment in 2025 with its Ninja dog food brand in Tamil Nadu. Nestlé SA, Mars’ closest global competitor, acquired a minority stake in Indian pet food brand Drools last year at a valuation of more than $1 billion.
Reliance Consumer Products later entered the market with Waggies. In June, Wipro Consumer Care Ventures led a $1 million seed round in Goofy Tails; sister concern Wipro Consumer Care Ltd is also planning to launch its own pet food brand, HappyFur, Mint reported in November 2025.
Tracxn data shows funding for India’s pet-tech and pet-care startups crossed $100 million between 2021 and 2023 across 66 funding rounds. Industry estimates suggest investments across channels could drive the market to nearly ₹35,000 crore over the coming years.
Expansion spree
in India accelerated during the covid pandemic as consumers sought companionship at home, Singh said, and the momentum has largely held since.
“Pets are now increasingly seen as family members rather than guard dogs,” he said, adding that younger consumers are becoming more aware of specialised nutrition and healthcare needs for their pets.
Royal Canin, which focuses on breed-specific and condition-specific nutrition for cats and dogs, is growing at about 25% annually in India, outpacing the broader category. The company expects to double its India business every three years.
Company filings show Royal Canin India Pvt. Ltd reported revenue of ₹473.84 crore in FY25, up 5% year on year, while net profit fell by three fourths to ₹2.21 crore as raw material and employee costs rose sharply.
“We do not yet have the quality raw material ecosystem required to manufacture products like Royal Canin in India,” Singh said. “It could take at least five years to develop that vendor base.”
Royal Canin imports most of its products from France and packages them locally in India. The company has invested nearly €12 million (around ₹100 crore) in packaging infrastructure in the country and operates seven distribution centres, Singh said.
Globally, Royal Canin generates annual revenue of $6–7 billion, he said.
The company plans to gradually introduce more global formulations and specialised nutrition products in India. While Royal Canin sells around 450 recipes and nearly 1,500 stock keeping units (SKUs) globally, India currently has about 135 recipes and 230–240 SKUs.
Royal Canin relies primarily on veterinarian clinics and specialty petcare stores, unlike mass-market brands such as Whiskas and Pedigree, which dominate quick-commerce and other online channels. The company is, however, increasing its presence on digital and quick-commerce platforms as more consumers shift online.
“Widespread adoption of e-commerce platforms has made it easier for pet owners to access a variety of petcare products,” consulting firm Redseer wrote in a report on India’s petcare industry in October 2024. “Online spends and O2O (online to offline) are expected to drive the next wave of growth as new entrants extend to new categories of products and service.”
Royal Canin is part of Mars Petcare, one of the world’s largest pet care firms, with brands including Pedigree, Whiskas, Sheba, Cesar and Temptations. Mars operates its pet brands as separate businesses targeting distinct consumer segments and price points. While Pedigree and Whiskas cater to mass feeding needs, Royal Canin focuses on science-led, condition-specific nutrition sold largely through veterinary channels.
Mars also operates separate global businesses for veterinary hospital chains and diagnostics, building a broader pet health ecosystem beyond packaged food.
The category’s expansion has intensified investor interest, with companies increasing investments in supply chains, product development and veterinary partnerships.