Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and forecast of pet food, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 2: Total US sales and forecast of pet food, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of COVID-19 on pet food
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- Figure 3: Short, medium and long term impact of COVID-19 on pet food, August 2020
- Re-emergence
- Mass merchant shoppers more likely to consider trading down, creating opportunity for store brands
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- Figure 4: Attitudes toward pet food and treats, by primary pet food retailer, April 2020
- Recovery
- An opportunity to get more specific about functional benefits
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- Figure 5: Interest in functional health and wellness benefits, April 2020
- Closing the gap between attitude and treating behavior
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- Figure 6: Attitudes toward pet food and treats, April 2020
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Sales spike at the onset of the pandemic interrupts slow, steady growth
- Dog and cat food dominate category, but treats offer growth opportunity
- Narrow focus may unlock the power of functional health benefits
Market Size and Forecast for Pet Food
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- Slow, steady growth interrupted by initial COVID-19 sales spike
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and forecast of pet food, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 8: Total US sales and forecast of pet food, at current prices, 2015-25
- Macroeconomic factors
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- Figure 9: Expected US unemployment, 2019-25
- Figure 10: Index of consumer sentiment, January 2019-20
- Impact of COVID-19 on pet food
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- Figure 11: Short, medium and long term impact of COVID-19 on pet food, August 2020
- Lockdown
- Re-emergence
- Recovery
- COVID-19: US context
- Learnings from the last recession: resiliency up to a point
Segment Performance
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- Dog and cat food dominate category, but treats offer growth opportunity
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- Figure 12: Share of sales of pet food, by segment, 2020 (est)
- Wet sets the pace for both dog and cat food
- Treats remain a key growth driver for the category
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- Figure 13: Total US sales and forecast of pet food, by segment, at current prices, 2015-25
Market Factors
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- Americans love pets, yet economic direction could impact ownership
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- Figure 14: Number of pet-owning households, 2009-19
- Baby bust: a further decline in birth rate could create pet boom
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- Figure 15: Future pet ownership, by parental status, marital status, April 2020
- Pandemic has positive impact on pet-owner relationships
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- Figure 16: Behavior changes due to Covd-19 pandemic, April 2020
Market Opportunities
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- Increasing frequency key to growing treats and toppers
- Narrow focus may unlock the power of functional health benefits
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Big food companies dominate mass-channel pet food sales
- Weakness in mid-tier brands cuts into Nestlé Purina’s lead
Market Share
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- Big food companies dominate mass-channel pet food sales
- Weakness in mid-tier brands cuts into Nestlé Purina’s lead
- Greenies’ expansion lifts Mars
- Sales of pet food by company
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- Figure 17: US multi-outlet sales of pet food, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
Competitive Strategies
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- Refrigerated, frozen, and fresh gain momentum
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- Figure 18: Facebook ads for DTC fresh pet food companies
- Animal-first perspective provides a twist on humanization
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- Figure 19: Facebook ads for Nutrish, Merrick, and Orijen brands
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Online purchasing gains amid pandemic
- Use of wet food, treats and toppers on the rise
- Cat owners more focused on taste, dog owners on product-related factors
- Interest in functional benefits creates opportunity for both food and treats
- Dual-species owners a key target for innovation
- Closing the gap between attitude and treating behavior
Pet Food Purchase Locations
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- More pet food purchasers move online
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- Figure 20: Most-often pet food retailer, April 2020
- Younger pet owners gravitate to pet specialty or mass merchants
- More older pet owners shopping online
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- Figure 21: Most-often pet food retailer, by age, April 2020
- Hispanic pet owners’ retail preferences reflect their relative youth
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- Figure 22: Most-often pet food retailer, by Hispanic origin, April 2020
- Cat owners appear more likely to add pet food to the grocery list
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- Figure 23: Most-often pet food retailer, by type of pet owned, April 2020
Dog Food and Treats Purchased
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- Dry food remains a default choice, but wet has more momentum
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- Figure 24: Dog food and treats purchased, April 2020
- Young owners’ topper purchases suggest opportunity for flavor-focused concepts
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- Figure 25: Dog food and treats purchased, by age, April 2020
- Topper purchase increases at mass merchants
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- Figure 26: Dog food and treats purchased, by primary pet food retailer, April 2020
Cat Food and Treats Purchased
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- Dual use on the rise as more cat owners purchase wet
- Treats and toppers on the rise
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- Figure 27: Cat food and treats purchased, April 2020
- Younger cat owners especially likely to purchase toppers
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- Figure 28: Cat food and treats purchased, by age, April 2020
- Specialty and online shoppers more likely to be multiform feeders
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- Figure 29: Cat food and treats purchased, April 2020
Pet Food Purchase Factors
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- Cat owners more focused on taste, dog owners on product-related factors
- Importance of grain-free declines slightly, possibly due to FDA investigation
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- Figure 30: Pet food purchase factors, April 2020
- Dual owners’ cat food preferences align with dog food preferences
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- Figure 31: Cat food purchase factors, April 2020
- Appetite appeal especially important to supermarket shoppers
- Pet specialty and online shoppers more focused on product quality
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- Figure 32: Pet food purchase factors, by primary pet food retailer, April 2020
Interest in Functional Health and Wellness Benefits
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- Interest in functional benefits creates opportunity for both food and treats
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- Figure 33: Interest in functional health and wellness benefits, April 2020
- Modest differences across species point to targeting opportunities
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- Figure 34: Interest in functional health and wellness benefits, by type of pet owned, April 2020
- An opportunity for retailers to base assortment on specific benefits
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- Figure 35: Interest in functional health and wellness benefits, by primary pet food retailer, April 2020
Pet Food and Treat Innovation Areas
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- Treats offer a variety of opportunities for innovation
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- Figure 36: Pet food and treat innovation areas, April 2020
- Dual-species owners a key target for innovation
- Energy for dogs on the go
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- Figure 37: Pet food and treat innovation areas, by type of pet owned, April 2020
Attitudes toward Pet Food and Treats
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- Closing the gap between attitude and treating behavior
- In their words: openness to trying new treat products
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- Figure 38: Attitudes toward pet food and treats, April 2020
- Dog and dual-species owners especially engaged in category
- Still a degree of concern over grain-free among dog owners
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- Figure 39: Attitudes toward pet food and treats, by type of pet owned, April 2020
- Specialty and online shoppers aligned in focus on quality
- Mass merchandiser shoppers most likely to consider trading down
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- Figure 40: Attitudes toward pet food and treats, by primary pet food retailer, April 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 41: Total US sales and forecast of pet food, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 42: Total US sales and forecast of cat food, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 43: Total US sales and forecast of dog food, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 44: Total US sales and forecast of other pet food, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 45: Total US sales and forecast of pet treats, at current prices, 2015-25
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Appendix – Other Market Data
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- Figure 46: US multi-outlet sales of pet food, by subsegment, 2015-20
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Appendix – Companies and Brands
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- Figure 47: US multi-outlet sales of cat food, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 48: US multi-outlet sales of dog food, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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- Figure 49: US multi-outlet sales of other pet food, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 50: US multi-outlet sales of pet treats, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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