My first Publication CC May Edition for Web | страница 39

packaged food brands but considering the
inclination of Indian pet parents to serve
home-cooked meals to their fur buddies,
they are likely to soar to unprecedented
heights in the coming few years.
Th e future of Natural
pet food companies in India:
Woof Yums- a start-up providing freshly
cooked food for pet parents in Delhi-NCR
started their journey in 2015. Jojo, the
founder of the company says, “It all started
with a vision- a passion to provide the best
in terms of freshly cooked balanced meals
for our voiceless friends. We started with
an old dog that had diffi culty ingesting
food due to his severed tongue. He was our
fi rst benefactor. And we had promised to
provide free meals to him for a lifetime.”
Th ey continued to expand at a steady
pace over the last few years and on their
5th anniversary this year Woof Yums has
launched India’s fi rst Dehydrated Range
of Fresh and Natural Food for Pets and
Strays. A great deal of experimentation and
research has gone into forming more than
30 diff erent meals and natural supplements
to provide nutritious food to pets.
Th e meals which are prepared under
stringent hygienic conditions are vacuum-
packed and untouched by hands thereby,
increasing the shelf life of the product to
6 months. Th is also enables to retain the
freshness of the product as soon as it is put
in hot water.
Jojo goes on to add, “Natural Food in
India is still an unorganized market, but
holds tremendous potential. Pet parents
need to be made aware of the benefi ts
of home-cooked food and the products
off ered. Th orough research based on
geographical conditions, economic factors,
general acceptance and high level of
hygiene is required to start the business of
natural pet food.”
Unfortunately, in the absence of stringent
laws in India, we see fl y by night
entrepreneurs starting their companies
with the sole motive of earning money
rather than benefi ting the pet industry.
Pet parents need to be made aware about
the ingredients in every meal and why
they are necessary for their pet. Unless
the consumer is aware, we cannot call it
serious business.
Bark and Treat Pet Bakery- founded by
Himani Lohia in March 2017 is dedicated
to providing all natural and high quality
dog treats, cakes and snacks. Th ey take
pride in manufacturing gluten free,
preservative free products made with
human grade ingredients.
According to Lohia, “Th e current trends
in home baked products for pets are
gaining immense popularity. Pet parents
are slowly beginning to recognize the
value these home-made products bring to
their pets. “
As per Himani, it is too early to spell
the exact contribution home-bakeries
are making to the overall pet industry in
India. However, there is massive potential
in this fi eld.
Th ere is a rapid increase in households
with pets and the concept of all-natural
dog treats is gaining popularity by the
year. Pet parents are far more informed
about the nutritional needs of their pets
and want the absolute best for their furry
companions. Considering all these factors,
the demand for pet bakeries is likely to
increase in the near future.
Moreover, the rise of e-commerce in
India is a boon for pet bakeries. Lohia
says, “Discoverability becomes easier for
pet parents. With just a click they can get
information on all kinds of pet bakeries
and products off ered by them.”
Petfeast- Th is three year old Pune based
company focuses on pet nutrition and
gourmet food. Th ey have a host of
delectable products for pets ranging from
freshly cooked daily meals, and birthday
cakes to cupcakes, puddings, dog beer and
treats.
Petfeast’s director, Sonal Zalkikar says,
“Th e concept of natural pet food is
growing in India as the demand for
these products is increasing and people
are aware of the fact that they cannot feed
the same cakes and goodies to their pets
that are meant for humans.”
She goes on to add that it is a growing
segment within the pet industry off ering
huge potential in the years to come.
Th e Indian pet food market catering to
dogs, cats, birds and other animals is
likely to grow in the future. It comprises
of a wide variety of commercial and
home-cooked pet nutrition products such
as veterinary diets, treats, snacks, plant
based and animal based products as well
as organic food products. Considering the
rise in middle class income and a growing
number of pets in the country, the pet
nutrition industry is likely to embark on a
steady growth in the near future.
May 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 5 • Noida
39
| Creature Companion