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According to a senior Nestlé executive, India is among the fastest-growing markets for the company’s global petcare division, Purina, and holds the potential to become one of the world’s top three petcare markets.
Purina, which launched in India in 2017, sells food and supplements for cats and dogs.
“India is a mega-market in the making,” said Hubert Weiser, chief executive of Nestlé Purina petcare Asia, Oceania and Africa, in an interview with Mint. “The US is the largest, followed by China, and India will one day be among the top three. All the ingredients are in place.”
India’s pet food industry is at a pivotal moment, driven by a new generation of pet owners who are actively seeking better nutrition for their pets. This shift, according to Weiser, coupled with rising disposable incomes and the deepening humanization of pets, presents a unique challenge and opportunity for a company like Nestlé.
In a nation where freshly home-cooked meals are the gold standard for both people and pets, Weiser said Nestlé is looking for ways to capture market share and reshape cultural attitudes toward packaged, ready-to-serve pet foods.
While India’s revenue contribution to Nestlé Purina is still small in absolute terms, it is growing fast, Weiser said. “Today, 70-80% of the category comprises first-time pet parents. The younger generation is open to learning, exploring better nutrition, and making informed choices. That’s where the change is happening.”
According to Weiser, Nestlé Purina is positioning itself to cater to growing demand in India for packaged pet food, especially among urban consumers, with a portfolio spanning mass-market to super-premium products.
“Mass-market offerings help build the category, but as pet parents learn what good nutrition looks like, they move up the price ladder. It’s about offering complete and balanced nutrition across tiers without compromising on quality,” Weiser said.
In 2024, Indians spent as much as $3.6 billion on petcare—which includes food, toys, accessories, grooming, and veterinary care—a market that is expected to touch $7 billion in three years, per estimates by Redseer Strategy Consultants.
While India accounts for a tiny percentage of the global $320 billion petcare market, it is growing fast with niche offerings such as pet boarding, spas, and insurance finding its audience.
Key Takeaways
- Nestlé sees India as a fast-growing petcare market, with potential to rank among the company’s top three global markets as rising urban incomes, changing lifestyles, and a new generation of pet owners fuel demand for packaged pet food and related products.
- To expand its petcare portfolio in India, Nestlé Purina is leveraging its accelerator programme, investing in early-stage petcare startups to tap innovation and strengthen its presence in India.
- However, India’s petcare market is getting crowded with established global players like Mars Inc. and domestic startups such as Supertails, Heads Up for Tails, and Drools expanding rapidly.
The hunt for disruptors
Nestlé Purina is also deepening its engagement with India’s petcare ecosystem through partnerships and investments in early-stage startups via Unleashed Accelerator.
Apart from that, Nestlé SA, the parent company of Nestle India, in May acquired a minority stake in Chhattisgarh-based Drools Pet Food Pvt. Ltd for an undisclosed sum, propelling the Indian pet food maker’s valuation to over $1 billion from about $600 million two years earlier. The Drools investment was Nestlé’s first in an Indian brand.
“Through the accelerator, we invest as much as 50,000 Swiss Francs to support startups over the span of 20 weeks to help build a community and share access to expertise,” said Kim Bill, head of Nestlé Purina’s global petcare accelerator programme.
The Nestlé executives did not share absolute numbers relating to Purina’s India performance. However, Nestlé’s petcare business in India recorded double-digit growth in 2024-25, its highest since its integration with Nestlé’s India business in 2022, the firm said in its FY25 annual report.
In 2024, Purina’s reported 18.9 billion Swiss francs in global sales, accounting for 20.7% of Nestlé’s total sales that year.
Crowding market
Purina’s premium push in India comes at a time when the country’s pet food market is dominated by well-established players. The domestic pet food market is dominated by US-based Mars Inc., which sells Pedigree, Whiskas, and Royal Canin pet food brands. Mars was the first international firm to enter India’s petcare market, in 2002.
Indian petcare startups are picking up pace, with the likes of Supertails, Heads Up for Tails, and Drools investing in building distribution networks and a loyal consumer base.
“Over 15 investments have been made in the petcare space in India this year alone. Several generalist funds are also closely observing growth,” said Hariharan Premkumar, managing director of DSG Consumer Partners India. DSG first invested in Bengaluru-based Supertails in 2021 and made a follow-on investment in February 2024.
“Petcare is one of the fastest-growing consumer categories in India, with a forecast CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 25% over the next five years,” added Premkumar.
Weiser sees parallels between the growth trajectory in India’s petcare sector and the early stages of other large markets in this space. “All the global mega-trends are visible here—people are having fewer kids… and looking for companionship. Pets are filling that emotional space.”
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