The China pet food market in 2024 is experiencing growth with projections reaching RMB49.2 billion and expected continued expansion. Market trends highlight an increasing focus on premiumization, customization, and functional nutrition. Opportunities for innovation are prominent in precision nutrition tailored to different pet life stages and functional pet foods addressing specific health concerns. With domestic brands like Myfoodie and imported brands maintaining their strong positions, the market favors high-quality, natural products as pet owners treat pets as family. Younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, emphasize products with health benefits, influenced by digital and social media. The diversification of purchasing channels and the introduction of staged feeding suggest considerable market potential, especially in the customized fresh food nutrition segment. Brands that can leverage these trends and enhance R&D to provide innovative products are well-positioned to capture market share and drive growth in this dynamic market.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Future market outlook and growth prospects in the next five years
- The competitive landscape and brand perceptions of the pet food market
- Feeding frequency and feeding behaviour of pet food
- Key repurchase factors for pet food and future purchasing plans
- Information channels for pet care
Report Scope
Mintel defines the pet food market as food and snacks/treats for household pets, including cats, dogs, rabbits, rodents, fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds. This report primarily focuses on food for dogs and cats, categorised into dry food, wet food and snacks/treats. The market size includes only dry and wet food designed for pet cats and dogs; all snacks/treats are counted as dry food, excluding unspecified or unpackaged pet food products, dog chews and rawhide products. Although the market size does not include pet nutrition products, they are covered in the consumer research.
Pet food brands are taking on three key roles: nutritional guardians, health management strategists and exclusive affection officers. They focus on segmented nutrition, precise functionality and fresh food customisation as they pave the way for innovation in the future.
Anita Li, Senior Research Analyst – Consumer Trends and Lifestyle, China
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- What you need to know
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Market overview
- Increase in pet numbers: more cats and fewer dogs; more young cats and more ageing dogs
- Changes in pet-keeping concepts: respecting pets’ animal nature and adopting more refined feeding practices
- Intensified industry competition: investment slows, and more measured competition takes hold
- The pet food market maintains its growth momentum, but the growth rate has slowed
- The cat food market continues to grow, while demand for dog food is reaching saturation
- Graph 1: retail value share of dog food and cat food, by segments, 2022-2024
- New cat food product launches are active, while dog food remains relatively flat
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Competitive landscape
- Domestic brands are experiencing rapid growth, while industry concentration is gradually increasing
- China: brand share of dog and cat food on ecommerce channels (based on value share on Tmall, JD.com and Douyin), 2022-2024
- Domestic brands welcome increased awareness: evolving from being known solely for good value for money to enhancing multi-dimensional competitiveness
- Graph 2: brands image, 2024
- The domestic brand Myfoodie is especially favoured by Gen Z
- Graph 3: brands image – Myfoodie, 2024
- Graph 4: brands image – Mars (including Royal, Whiskas, Pedigree), 2024
- Gen Z prefers entertainment and socially driven information channels and relies on the digital consumption cycle
- Graph 5: [no title]
- Myfoodie’s marketing strategies: utilise spokespeople and product placement to broaden its consumer base, foster trust with the ‘transparent factory’ and engage consumers through online communities to boost loyalty
- Consumers utilise a variety of channels to purchase pet food, with growth seen in both online and offline usage rates
- Graph 6: purchase channels – pet food, 2022/2024
- Strengthening the omnichannel strategy is a key trend for the long-term development of pet food brands
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Consumer demand
- The three core roles of pet food under new pet care concepts
- Nutritional Guardian
- Pet owners’ feeding trends: diverse feeding options and nutritional upgrades
- Graph 7: consumption frequency – once a day or more, 2022-2024
- Palatability remains the key factor for repurchasing staple food, with the appeal of ‘organic’ and ‘real meat as a main ingredient’ claims on the rise
- Graph 8: selected repurchase factors, 2022/2024
- ‘All natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘real meat as the main ingredient’ are more appealing to young pet owners when it comes to repurchasing
- Graph 9: selected repurchase factors, by generation, 2024
- The share of new products featuring ‘all natural’ or ‘organic’ claims is relatively low, brands could emphasise these selling points more in their product communication
- Graph 10: natural claims in pet food, 2022-2024
- Scientific feeding involves not only a diverse diet but also the preservation of freshness and quality
- Graph 11: selected feeding behaviours, 2024
- The ‘Nutritional Guardian’ needs to meet consumers’ diverse product needs
- As competition intensifies, innovation in pet food is exceeding consumer expectations
- Create ample, high-quality, advanced nutrition through multifaceted product upgrades
- Innovative packaging offers fresher solutions
- Strengthen the core focus on freshness through marketing that highlights ingredient sourcing to drive brand enhancement
- Health Management Strategist
- ‘Precision nutrition’ for pets at different life stages is gradually becoming a mainstream demand
- Graph 12: top 5 feeding behaviors, by pet age, 2024
- Owners of young pets are particularly concerned about the diversity and balance of their pets’ nutritional intake
- Graph 13: consumption frequency – more than once a week (net), by pet age, 2024
- Pet owners of adult pets pay more attention to long-term health management and the stability of product quality and taste
- Graph 14: repurchase factors, by pet age, 2024
- Brand loyalty remains stable with slight changes, and the proportion of those opting for cheaper products increases slightly
- Graph 15: trading up and down, 2024
- Graph 16: trading up and down, 2023
- Strengthen guidance and education for owners of young pets and develop premiumisation strategies for owners of adult pets
- Graph 17: trading up and down, by pet age, 2024
- Owners of young pets rely on professional channels for guidance, while owners of adult pets use multiple information sources and prioritise efficiency
- Graph 18: information channel, by pet age, 2024
- The appeal of professional and customised formulations is especially strong among high-income groups
- Graph 19: repurchase factors, by monthly household income, 2024
- Professional formulations and customised formulas are also key strategies for staple food brands to encourage their existing customer base to trade up
- Graph 20: repurchase factors, by purchase plans for dry/wet staple foods for dog(s)/cat(s) in the next six months, 2024
- The demand for senior dog food continues to grow, with digestive health, oral care, and cognitive impairment alleviation emerging as rising functional trends
- Graph 21: engagement with ‘senior dog/cat food’ (10k) on social media channels, 2022-2024
- Age-specific product development is still in its early stages, while precision nutrition development presents growth opportunities
- Graph 22: share of new pet food products with life-stage-related claims, 2022-2024
- Functional pet food better fulfills everyday demand, while health supplements stand out for their high efficacy, precision and specialised qualities
- Graph 23: format preference for functional benefits, 2023
- Cat owners have a stronger demand for functional staple foods than dog owners, with digestive health and immune support being key priorities
- Graph 24: format preference for functional benefits – Pet staple foods, by pet type, 2023
- Functional pet food has considerable market potential, with notable gaps between supply and demand in weight control and oral health
- Functional cat food primarily promotes coat health, digestion, urinary tract care and weight management through specific ingredients and scientific formulations
- Product examples featuring scientific formulas and the addition of specific ingredients
- Domestic brands improve pets’ coats, gut health and even urinary tract health through the addition of specific ingredients; their strengths in weight management are comparable to those of imported brands
- Top 10 best-selling cat staple foods on Tmall from January to November 2024, featuring different functional keywords in their product titles
- Beyond benefits, cat owners also pay attention to the nutritional composition, value for money and palatability of weight loss cat food
- Graph 25: social media engagement for weight-loss cat/dog food, 2022-2024
- The best-selling weight-loss cat food highlights ‘slim’ as a key selling point to better support everyday weight management
- Exclusive Affection Officer
- Post-1990s pet owners prefer to deepen their emotional bond with their pets through feeding.
- Graph 26: consumption frequency – more than once a week (net), 2024
- Strong palatability and high interactivity are key to enhancing emotional communication between consumers and their pets
- Express the human-pet bond through a well-matched co-branding collaboration, highlighting a sense of exclusive affection
- High-end imported brands define luxury pampering through superior nutrition, while domestic premium brands stand out for their value for money
- The pursuit of nutrition through customised fresh food is a distinctive demand among high-income pet owners
- Graph 27: selected repurchase factors, by monthly household income, 2024
- Graph 28: feeding behavior, by monthly household income, 2024
- Pet owners create fresh meals with customised nutrition for their pets using pet food combos
- Graph 29: engagement related to ‘pet food combos’ on social media, 2023-2024
- Fresh food has emerged as a breakthrough for domestic brands, offering pets superior nutrition to showcase exclusive care
- Cleverly leverage cultural symbols of ‘premium’ in human society to craft a high-end brand image
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Future opportunities
- Harness consumer demand and competitive insights to pinpoint future opportunities
- Identify growth opportunities in market segments
- From basic care to cutting-edge innovation: pet food competition advances toward segmented nutrition
- Drawing inspiration from infant food to find breakthroughs in nutritional innovation within market segments
- Leverage regional advantages to enhance the supply chain and ensure a stable supply of ingredients with high nutritional value
- Nature Bridge launched cat food with 42 free-from claims, emphasising natural ingredients to the fullest
- Elevate positioning through precision nutrition
- Precise age segmentation and customisation are new strategies for Chinese pet food to stand out in competition
- Royal Canin achieves brand premiumisation through customised products
- Royal Canin China strengthens its cooperation with professional channels, upgrades food products for young pets, and focuses on tapping into the market for young pets
- Leading domestic brands have begun developing pet food for different age groups, with Myfoodie’s kitten food, designed with nutrients closely resembling mother’s milk, emerging as an innovative growth point
- Stand out from the competition through breakthroughs in functionality
- How domestic brands can stand out in the functional pet food market: from food nourishment strategies to core R&D breakthroughs
- Nourse exclusively developed the Longevity Cat Probiotic, using scientific innovation to support cats’ gut health
- Leverage closeness and premium treatment to create exceptional care
- Creating a sense of pampering and love through a dual approach: irresistible palatability + enhanced interaction, and customised nutrition through fresh food
- Express love by creating shared holiday experiences for people and pets
- Customised nutrition through fresh food could become a new approach for premium pet food to gain a competitive edge
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Appendix – market size and forecast, research methodology and abbreviations
- Market size and forecast
- Market segmentation
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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