Brazilian pet market analysis

The Brazilian pet market

In 2015, the pet food and products market in Brazil recorded a turnover of R$18 billion (US$5 billion), a 7.6% growth compared to 2014 – according to data of the Brazilian Association of the Industry of Products for Pets (Abinpet). In 2016, the sector is expected to grow by 7% and achieve a turnover of R$19.2 billion (US$5.3 billion).

The main reason for this positive scenario is the Brazilians’ relationship with their pets. In Brazil, a pet is considered a member of the family and builds a love relationship with its owner. There are more than 132 million pets in the country, of which 52 million dogs, 38 million birds, 22 million cats, 18 million fish and around 2 million small animals. Brazil’s pet population is the fourth largest in the world, after China (289 million animals), the United States (226million) and the United Kingdom (146 million). On the whole, there are roughly 1.6 billion pets worldwide.

The domestic pet market is stable and aims for constant improvement, to meet the expectations of a highly demanding public. “In the last few years, we’ve seen the evolution in the relation between humans and their pets which acknowledges mutual health benefits of this interaction to both groups. Nowadays, pets are viewed as family members and therefore receive all essential items, such as food, bath and vaccines, like any other beloved family member,” says Jos. Edson Galv.o de Fran.a,Executive President of Abinpet.

Industry potential

Another consequence of the pet humanisation trend for the pet industry is the creation of new industry sectors and attendant employment opportunities. Innovative business models and even new jobs have been developed in Brazil in the wake of the pet market’s growth. Dog walkers have become a common occurrence on the streets of S.o Paulo, for instance.

The advance of entrepreneurship in the pet industry is essential for fighting the present economic crisis and the development of pet products and services. More pet industry professionals have stressed the importance of improvements in animal care as well as an even greater awareness of healthy pet food. In practice, this means we will see an increase in the consumption of pet products.

Not only has animal health been the focus of the relationship between pets and their owners. Studies increasingly reveal the beneficial effects of animals on the health and medical treatment of people.

Animal-assisted therapies

Aspects that should be explored more in-depth are the benefits of animal-assisted therapies. Since the advantages have become so widely recognized, several hospitals have started to allow animals for the proven benefits they bring to patients, including the stimulation of rational thinking, concentration, creativity, motor coordination, proprioception (the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation of the body) and vocalization, in additionto helping to control anxiety and aggression.

In Brazil, animal-assisted therapies are applied more and more and have won over people of different ages and profiles. People with an autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder, and even Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA), have benefited from treatments with dogs, cats, fish, songbirds, smallrodents and even exotic animals, such as iguanas.

Brazilian quality standards

Abinpet is aware that in the food industry, raw materials determine to a great extent product quality and safety. In light of this, the organisation supports its associates in adhering to a strict quality control programme of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMF) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). A contributing factor is that production lines in the industry are fully automated,ensuring precision in the dosage of ingredients, thus eliminating the risk of human error and the avoidance of physical contact with ingredients.

Having a rigid quality control programme in place for the preparation of balanced food is very demanding. All of the raw materials arriving at Brazilian factories undergo strict quality control checks to determine whether they meet the requirements of being processed in food products.

The industrialized food available on the market supports the development of young animals and ahealthy and active lifestyle for the adult animals.

Brazil compared to the world

Compared to other global players, Brazil’s figures of the national pet industry give a good idea of the positive prospects of the market. The global pet market is currently valued at US$100.4 billion (R$356.8 billion).

Brazil is the world’s third largest pet market, with a market share of 6.3%, behind the United States (41.8%) and the United Kingdom (6.5%). With positive figures and plenty of opportunity for growth, both national and international, it has leaped at the chance to present the Brazilian pet industry at Interzoo 2016. The Brazilian pavilion, 230 sqm in size, will be manned by sixteen manufacturers of pet food, accessories and veterinary medication. Interzoo visitors will have the opportunity to talk to professionals from the Brazilian pet industry, which currently sell their products in more than seventycountries across the world.