One left two’startups‘created by him, another, his fixed work in a Law firm, and the third, an entire career in the food sector. But for Gonzalo Noy, Sergi Font and Joseph Font, starting a prepared and home-delivered food company for dogs was a winning bet. And, so far, it has proven to be so. Because what was then less than 500,000 euros in turnover, today is a 3,000 square meter factory, a warehouse in Terrassa (Barcelona) and the objective of closing the year with a business volume of more than 25 million euros. Now, to Dogfy Dietthere is no lack of competition.
In a report from the beginning of the year focused on the sector ‘pet food‘, Alimarket speaks, for example, of the line of animal feed based on natural ingredients and artisan cooking of the company Visan; of a pâté Affinity Petcare without colorants or preservatives, and its entire range of natural ingredients, croquettes and snacks. Also from the manufacturer’s recipe proposal Gosby, prepared in collaboration with the chef Paco Pérez, which has five Michelin stars; of the growth of ‘startups’ that are dedicated to the preparation of ‘realfood’ recipes for animals such as Wow&Cat either Natuka; or the recent arrival on the market of yogurts and ice creams for dogs under brands such as YoWup either Yogupetand even a kind of special food processor for pets of Kibus Petcare.
The list, in fact, goes far beyond the food universe. They already exist genetic tests for dogs (Petgenetics), Matchpet works on the construction of a pet dating apphe Barcelona airport – El Prat has gone from one to four ‘pet relief’ spaces in its facilities this summer, the new stores of Lefties They have fountains for dogs, it is increasingly common to see pharmacies and supermarkets with sections exclusively dedicated to the animal world, and, also, restaurants with canine menu, specialized daycares, pet water parks and some other baby clothing store with a line also for animals. Logical, the latter, taking into account that the most recurrent explanation for this phenomenon is low birth rate.
“We are in one of the countries with the least reproduction rate of the Earth, we are at 1.2 children per woman, when the rate that ensures the maintenance of the population is around 2: we have gone backwards, and much more after the pandemic”, contextualizes the president of the Retail Commission of the Col·legi d’Economistes, Núria Beltrán. “Pets are replacing this instinct of motherhood and fatherhood,” says this economist.
According to data from the Statistics National Institute (INE), if in 2002 10 children were born per 1,000 inhabitants, in 2021 – the latest data available – there were 7. On the other hand, the number of households with pets has been growing to represent practically 40% of all those in Spain. And so, while the number of Spaniards under 20 years old is around 8 million, ANFAAC (National Association of Pet Food Manufacturers) estimates a pet census of almost 31 million.
Market opportunity
“It has been a fairly progressive rise over the last 10 or 12 years, but the pandemic was a brutal turning point,” explains the president of AEDPACthe Spanish association of industry and commerce in the pet sector, Adolfo Santa-Olalla. “The sector is growing and will continue to grow by double digits worldwide, because of that, many investment funds are investing in companies in our sector,” he points out.
“The big change (and big opportunity) that exists in the market is that A bond has been created with the pet similar to that established with another member of the family”, reflects, for his part, the manager of Aecoc Retail Knowledge and trade expert of this association of manufacturers and distributors, Pablo de la Rica. “The behavior that this type of consumer has is similar to that which occurs when you have someone in your care, attitudes are generated that are very close to what we do with humans, that makes spending less rational, less sensitive. to the price and that other types of things are valued,” adds this specialist.
This would explain that, in the midst of the inflationary crisis, 41 of the 44 main companies dedicated to food and animal care in Spain will increase their turnover in 2022, according to Alimarket. That AEDPAC attributes 4% growth to the sector over the 4,000 million euros of turnover which identified the last time it analyzed the market in depth (2020), that the main retail chains in the sector, Kiwoko and Tiendanimalare experiencing double-digit growth – although they warn, of course, that the sector in general is beginning to show signs of slowdown, most likely linked to inflation – or that it is increasingly easier to detect a firm commitment to this industry even in he Supermarket.
“It is common that many distribution chains dedicate a specific area set to the sections with high value or potential“says de la Rica, who gives as an example areas of newborn products where it is offered from feeding either care itemsuntil furniture. “Now this is being recreated around pets,” she says.
Supermarket bet
In this way, what not so much ago was a shelf with I thinksome can and, at most, a shampoo either adapted baublenow it is, in the case of Bon Preu grouphighlighted areas with products of all kinds and even a ceiling where the client can offer or exchange services related to the animal world. Caprabofor its part, has detected an 18% growth in this segment this year, so it is also in the process of expanding both the space it dedicates and the assortment it offers. aldi has just expanded its catalog and has introduced fresh protein into its recipes, and Veritas He already sells vegan feed.
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“The supermarket companies They strive to meet all the needs of shopping, food and hygiene in a single purchasing act, which includes care for the most common pets,” explains the communications director of Asedas (Spanish Association of Distributors, Self-services and Supermarkets), Nuria Cardoso. “In recent years, the increase in the number of pets in Spanish homes has been responded to with a also increasing supply of specific food”, confirms it.
And consequently, the market continues to gain followers. “We are very contradictory,” reflects Nuria Beltrán. “Yes, there is a problem of inflation and many problems to make ends meetbut there are priorities and this is a totally emotional issue.” “In the end, what pets are doing is responding to a situation that exists and is dramatic,” concludes Pablo de la Rica: loneliness“.