Philippines Pet Market
The Philippines have the highest rate of pet ownership among the Southeast Asian countries at 83%, led by dogs at 67%, cats at 43%, fish at 13%, and birds at 10% (Rakuten Insights, 2021)
As of 2017, consumption of pet food in the Philippines was at an all-time high, due to a surge in pet owners with more willingness to spend more on their pets’ health. It is estimated that there are about 13.6 million dogs and 1.8 million cats in 2016. As such, the pet food sales were expected to grow accordingly (Euromonitor, 2016)
Revenue in the Pet Food segment amounted to US$72 million in 2021, with expectation to grow annually by 7.13% (CAGR 2021 – 2026). Volume in pet food are expected to amount to 52.4 million kilograms by 2026, it is expected to have a growth rate of 9.9% in 2022 (Statista, 2021)
Pet Food On the Rise
Pet owners in the Philippines prefer to imported pet food, especially those made in the US or European Union countries.
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the US has been the largest exporter of pet food to the Philippines since 2012, with a 61% market share. Still, Filipino pet owners are sensitive to price and prefer more economic options.
According to Purina Philippines, which targets more premium and super-premium pet food buyers, stated that the market for economy products is larger and dominated by kibble brands selling at US$2.00 or less per kilogram. However, Purina believes that more Filipino pet owners are increasingly willing to spend more on premium food that meets their pets’ nutritional requirements.
According to MetroPet’s survey, brands that dominated the market are: Pedigree, Royal Canin, Alpo, Holistic, Beef Pro, Vitality (Australia) and Monge (Italy). All are considered premium. Nevertheless, pet shops also sell less premium options such as Beef Pro (US$1.82/Kg) and Special Dog (US$1.85/Kg) as well to tap the mass market.
Mars Philippines is also in a unique position in market as they offer a wide range of dry and wet pet food at different price points to accommodate different customer groups. They are expected to be the market leader for the foreseeable future (Euromonitor, 2016)
Dry Pet Food Leader in Dog Market
It is said that the Philippines is the “dog capital of East Asia” as survey said there is one dog for every eight people there.
According to the Philippines Canine Club Inc., the local registry for purebred dogs, there were more than 21,000 members with more than 70,000 registered purebred dogs in 2016. According to it’s records, the most popular breeds in the Philippines are Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, and the Pomeranian. Furthermore, the pandemic year 2020 saw a 9.5% growth in newborn puppies registered with the PCCI at 93,320 (Philippine Canine Club, Inc., 2020)
Store owners stated that dry pet food are the most saleable dog food category for dog owners, wet pet food are purchased only as a supplement for dry food to whet a dog’s appetite, especially when sick.
Wet Pet Food Leader in Cat Market
Although dog ownership rate far outpace that of cat’s, it has been noted that cat owners are more likely to pamper their pets with more “human-grade” wet food which came in small cans and pouches. They are also willing to spend more on high-end dry cat food that promises more health benefit.
The leader of the cat food market in 2016 was Mars Philippines at 48% market share. Followed closely by many other international brands like Monge’s Special Cat, Cuties Catz, and Princess. Monge’s Special Cat is made specially for the Philippines market and continued to be a highly sought after product selling for US$13.67 for a 7-kg bag.
Distribution Channels for Pet Food in the Philippines
Supermarkets and groceries mostly stock up on popular brands, usually from Mars and Purina, along with their own private label with lower price tags. The rest of the market players distribute through pet shops, veterinary clinics and pet cafes, or they sell directly to established breeders.
Almost everyone now has an online store or sells via a big online shop operator such as Lazada and Shopee. A number of small local online shops also fight for market share by providing a more personal level of customer service.
