Pet Products Brands Industry Overview

There are many different pet products that are available for purchase. Whether you have a dog or a cat, there are plenty of things that you can buy for them to make their life easier and more enjoyable.

In 2020, almost 70 percent of families in the United States owned one or more pets, which is a significant increase from the pet ownership rate of 56 percent in 1988. One of the best ways to show your love for your pet is to buy them the best possible products, which will enhance their health and well-being.

The Pet Products Category

Subcategories of pet products include Dog Food, Dog Supplies, Cat & Other Pet Food, and Cat & Other Pet Supplies.

Large Pet Food Brands

Mars Petcare Inc, which owns pet food brands like Whiskas, Royal canin, and Pedigree, has an annual revenue of $19,000,000,000.

Nestle Purina PetCare, which owns pet food brands like Friskies, Bakers, Alpo, One, Pro Plan, and Beneful, has an annual revenue of $16,500,000,000.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition, which has Prescription Diet and Science Diet lines produced by veterinarians and scientists to meet the nutritional needs of dogs with very specific diseases and health conditions, has an annual revenue of $3,311,000,000.

JM Smucker, which owns pet food brands like Rachael Ray Nutrish, Milk-Bone, Gravy Train, 9Lives, Nature's Balance, and Kibbles 'n Bits, has an annual revenue of $2,694,000,000.

General Mills, is a producer of pet food products, and it entered the pet food business in 2018 by acquiring Blue Buffalo. The annual revenue of this brand is $1,732,000,000.

Diamond Pet Foods, which owns pet food brands Diamond Performance, NutraGold, Diamond Naturals, and Taste of the Wild, has an annual revenue of $1,500,000,000.

Simmons Pet Food, is dedicated to obtaining ingredients of the finest possible quality for both their wet and dry pet foods. This brand has an annual revenue of $1,000,000,000.

Emerging Pet Brands

Emerging Pet Brands are also a relevant segment of the space to watch in order to understand consumer trends, as well as industry growth and innovation. According to Helio’s universal brandview data, as of Jun 23, 2022 the following pet products brands are some of those with the highest potential for growth: 

1. INABA, which produces premium cat food, with an emphasis on tuna, and saw 279% revenue growth and 318% year-over-year door growth, and a 69% increase in online visitors per month.  
2. Shameless Pets, which makes dog & cat treats that are healthy, all natural, non-GMO, grain, soy, & corn free, including superfood biscuits, jerky and chews made in the USA, is in the $1-5M revenue range, representing $535% year-over-year revenue growth. They saw a 163% increase in retail doors year-over-year and a 151% increase in online visitors per month. 
3. Playology, which makes dog toys out of durable, natural materials, and is in the $5-10M revenue range, saw a 125% increase in reviews year-over-year, and a 67% increase in website visitors month-over-month. 
4. Canine Chews, which makes natural chews for dogs and is in the $5-10M revenue range, saw a 59% increase in social followers and a 58% increase in reviews. 
5. Canine Naturals, which makes naturally great tasting treats and chews for dogs, and is in the <$250M revenue range, saw a 300% increase in year-over-year retail door growth, and a 167% increase in online visitors per month. 

The Pet Products Ecosystem

The pet brand ecosystem is similar to other consumer product categories in that there are a variety of product types and price points in the marketplace. Pet parents can choose from a variety of pet food options, including dry, wet, and grain-free varieties. There are also dog and cat treats, as well as other pet necessities.

Pet Brand Investors 

According to CB Insights, venture capitalists spent approximately $500 million on pet technology between 2012 and 2016. This figure only includes investments made during that time period. This infusion of venture money demonstrates there is continuous innovation and interest from big and small businesses alike in pet care.

Pet Product Retailers

Some of the largest pet brand retailers in the United States include: 

Chewy, is the online store with the most eCommerce net sales in the U.S. that sells products in the Pet supplies e-commerce market, bringing in $9,832 million in 2021.

Petsmart, is the second-largest pet store with the highest sales in the US, accumulating about US$1,150 million in 2021.

Petco, is the third-largest pet store with the highest sales in the US, with a revenue of US$640 million.

1800petmed, is the fourth largest online retailer of pet products in the United States, with a revenue of US$264 million in 2021.

Smaller retailers noteworthy for discovering and driving awareness of emerging pet brands include; Only Natural Pet, LLC, PetCareRx, Inc., and Pet Supermarket, Inc.

Pet Brand Brokers

Pet brokers who work with pet brands to get them carried by retailers include Petland St. Louis, 

Pinnacle Pet,  and Peace of Mind Pet Shipping & Resort.

Ingredients Companies Serving Pet Brands 

Ingredients companies supply, create and manufacture the essential raw materials and bespoke combinations used to manufacture the products sold by pet brands. Leading ingredient firms in the industry include DSM Nutritional Products LLC, Green Source Organics Inc, 3D Corporate Solutions, Aker BioMarine, Kerry Pet Wellness & Nutrition, inkOne Ingredient Solutions, and Zinpro Corp.

Co-Packers Serving Pet Brands

Top co-packers helping pet brands produce and package their products include Foods, Elmira Pet Products, and Crosswind.

Trends Impacting Pet Brands 

Although the pet industry has seen robust investment activity in recent years, the overall outlook might be affected by a variety of macro trends, such as economic, political, international, and supply side issues. Despite this, the pet market continues to draw substantial investment activity.

Pet Brands and Inflation

At the end of 2021, the inflation rate for pet food in the United States was just 2.4 percent, which was higher than in 2020 but still much lower than the general inflation rate in the United States, which was 7 percent. Despite this, we are all aware that inflation has not only persisted until the year 2022 but actually become worse. Is it also the case with food for pets?

Yes, it is. According to figures from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics that were published and evaluated by John Gibbons on PetBusinessProfessor.com, the annual inflation rate for pet food in the United States reached 3.7 percent at the end of February 2022. 

That is still a significant amount lower than the rate of 7.9 percent for the whole economy of the United States in February and also the rate of 8.6 percent for human food (also known as "food at home," excluding dining out). 

However, it should come as no surprise that the industry of pet food is not exempt from the turbulence and inflationary pressures that are hurting the majority of the economy.

COVID-19 Impact on Pet Brands

The COVID-19 outbreak destroyed other industries, but not the pet food industry. As the pandemic proceeded to infect humans globally, pet owners tended to remain at home, even in the absence of lockdowns. 

Early in the pandemic, pet adoption rates in the United States soared, and pets' functions as in-home companions were more vital than ever. Similarly, e-commerce enabled pet owners to buy pet food without leaving the comfort of their homes.

Which Pet Product Categories Are the Most Lucrative?

The overall sales of the pet industry in the United States have been on a rising trend during the last several years. In 2021, the United States pet food market was the most profitable segment of the overall pet market in terms of product sales. 

During that year, sales of food for pets totaled close to 50 U.S billion in the United States. In 2021, the veterinary care business brought in the second biggest amount of income, with sales totaling around 34.3 U.S billion dollars in the United States.