Pet care startups eye users to compete with FMCG giants

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) pet care brands are leaning on subscription models to lock in customers, betting that repeat purchases can help them counter the scale and distribution advantage of India's largest packaged consumer goods players as the niche segment heats up.

- Vaeshnavi Kasthuril

"Nearly 40% of our repeat customers today come through the subscription model, which tells us how effective it has been in driving predictable demand," said Kartikeya Gupta, co-founder of natural cat food brand Smylo that raised ₹75 lakh on business reality show Shark Tank India on 15 January from Anupam Mittal, Kunal Bahl, and Varun Alagh, giving up 1% equity along with advisory shares, valuing it ₹75 crore.

At the consumer level, subscriptions combine convenience with predictability by automating regular pet food purchases and reducing the friction of repeat ordering. Customers can choose flexible delivery frequencies and retain full control over shipments, with the ability to pause, skip, or cancel without long-term lock-ins.