Pet projects

With global investors, homegrown startups, and changing mindsets fuelling its boom, India's petcare industry is on a roll

- SARTHAK CHOUDHURY

About a week ago, Bengaluru-based pet food brand Drools made headlines by becoming a unicorn—a startup valued at over $1 billion—following an investment from Nestlé SA. It was the Swiss food and beverage giant's first investment in India, and at 10 per cent, also one of the largest investments the country's petcare industry has seen.

For those within the sector, this was hardly surprising.

"India's pet economy is undergoing a fundamental shift—from an unstructured sector to a high-growth industry," says Salil Murthy, managing director of Mars Petcare India, the company behind popular pet food brands such as Pedigree and Whiskas. "This transformation is being primarily driven by the pet food industry, owing to multiple factors." Culturally, pets are now seen as integral members of the family, not just companions, he adds.

Take 30-year-old Sakshi Ahlawat, a devoted 'pet parent' whose plans revolve around her three dogs: Tiger (14), Shadow (4), and Luca (3). Travel or work requires her to arrange pet-friendly hotels or reliable boarding homes—both more expensive than standard options. On occasion, she spends up to ₹12,000 per pet to ensure they get the best care.

"The expenses vary depending on their health and vaccination needs," she says. "One of my dogs is older and gets sick quite often, so his expenses are slightly higher. Boarding costs around ₹1,000 per night, including food and stay." Some of her dogs were also sent for training, which cost around ₹40,000 for three months.

Surya Sen, who has three cats, spends nearly ₹13,000 each month just on food. "Wet food costs ₹65 per packet. I use one per cat per day—that's ₹195 daily, or ₹5,850 monthly, or more if I don't get good discounts. Litter costs around ₹400 a week, or ₹1,600 monthly. Dry food is another ₹5,000 for a 10 kg bag," he explains.