Analysis · Commerce & Consumer Brands
Indian pet food market grows as brands innovate
By Startup Enthusiast ·
- Date
- Company
- Nootie
- What it does
- Pet food brand founder
- Kind
- Analysis
What they do
Nootie CEO Akshay Mahendru discusses the Indian pet food industry
What happened
The market is projected to reach $4.6 billion by 2034 from $2.5 billion in 2025
Why it matters
Brands are innovating with fresh formats and functional nutrition to capture spending
The details
- The Indian pet food market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2025.
- It is projected to grow to over $4.6 billion by 2034.
- Urban households with pets exceed 30 million in India.
- Pet parents are treating pets as family members.
- Spending on specialized and premium nutrition is increasing.
- Consumers are reading labels and checking ingredients online.
- Clean eating focus is driving consumer choices.
- D2C brands have an advantage in product innovation speed.
The bigger picture
- Retention is driven by predictable reorder cycles.
- Emotional bonds with pets encourage repeat purchases.
- WhatsApp nudges are effective for customer retention.
About the business
- Drools invested ₹180 crore in processing infrastructure.
- They entered the fresh pet food segment.
- Bundling strategies increase customer lifetime value.
- Subscriptions are still nascent in the Indian market.
- White labelling lowers barriers to entry for new brands.
- Quality signals include specific ingredient lists.
- Vague terms like poultry by-product meal are avoided.
- Quick commerce is the next battleground for sales.
- Offline and tier II & III markets are underplayed.
- Omnichannel strategy is key for growth.
What happens next
- Brands are investing in NASC/AAFCO/FDA certifications.
- Regulatory frameworks are evolving without AAFCO-equivalent standards.
Founders
- Akshay Mahendru, Cofounder & CEO
- Sneh Sharma, Cofounder & CMO
- Prabhu Gandhukumar, Cofounder
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