Has the Ayurveda revolution arrived for pets?

The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine declared 2022 as the ‘Year of Integrative Health and Wellness’. Defining a system in which traditional and alternative therapies are blended, the organization predicts a greater mainstream acceptance of this holistic approach.

Good for us, good for them

At the same time, in our post-pandemic world, pet parents have become more conscious of their health and well-being, and alternatives to mainstream medications. It’s a mindset that they also project on their pets. Increasingly, owners have adopted an ‘if it’s good for us, it’s good for them’-approach to their four-legged friends’ health.

An alternative approach to pet food?

Not surprisingly, therefore, interest in Ayurveda – perhaps the oldest and most popular form of alternative medicine dating back to 2000 to 4000 BC in India – is on the rise.

Traditionally focused on animal health and well-being, physicians in ancient texts described treatment for both humans and animals. The region’s first recorded veterinary hospital – opened in 1463 BC – used Ayurvedic botanicals.

But the Ayurvedic pet care market is still in its infancy, with very limited research and data available. It’s also heavily concentrated in India: Market Research Future (MRF) estimates that India accounts for 80% of the total sales.

However, Prabhu Gandhikumar, co-founder of Ayurvedic pet food start-up TABPS Pets, believes the potential market is global. “With pets suffering from so many allergies – due to chicken and other grains grown with the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers – Ayurvedic-powered pet food can do wonders to the overall health of pets worldwide.”

According to MRF, consumer interest has increased over the past years. This was largely due to the fact that it was considered a preferred option to boost immunity against COVID-19. MRF expects the global Ayurvedic market to expand at an annual rate of 15%, reaching $23.8 billion (€22.14B) in 2030.

Healthy but expensive

Patrick Holmboe, an Amsterdam, Netherlands-based vet, lists 3 advantages of adding Ayurveda to pet food: natural ingredients, chemical-free, and overall wellness. While individual animals respond differently to specific food types, he notes that Ayurvedic food can potentially improve digestion and boost immunity.

This is due to ingredients like herbs and pastes that have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune- boosting properties. Moreover, products like TABPS Pets’ dog biscuits are said to improve neurological functioning, and enhance an animal’s skin and hair texture.

So, what about the price? Gandhikumar points out that Ayurvedic pet products are relatively expensive at this point, due to the lack of scale: “Until you get to industry-level farming of these herbs, you wouldn’t be able to bring down the costs.”

Currently, Ayurvedic herbs are mostly used for medicine in very small quantities, so the cost is higher. “But when you start looking at the pet food category, you require tons of material to make a significant difference,” he explains. “It becomes a challenge in both procuring and processing these at scale.”

Increasing interest from investors

The popularization of Ayurvedic ingredients in pets’ diets is evident in the interest of investors in start-ups in this sector. Last year, Ayurvedic consumer goods giant Emami Group acquired a 30% stake in pet care brand Cannis Lupus. This company’s subsidiary Fur Ball Story makes Ayurvedic pet food and health products.

In 2021, beauty and skincare brand Idam Natural Wellness acquired a majority stake in Petveda, which develops grooming products like shampoos and hair sprays for animals. Earlier in the year, Petveda closed a funding round worth $10 million (€9.3M).

Elsewhere, as a sign of the industry’s potential outside India, Irish manufacturer Kerry Group took over US-based Natreon. This company is a supplier of Ayurvedic botanical ingredients such as Sensoril – a root and leaf extract – for certain pet supplements manufactured by Zesty Paws.

Lack of awareness?

However, the Ayurvedic pet care market also faces some obstacles. Both Holmboe and Gandhikumar believe a lack of awareness is a major hurdle. “Most people don’t know that Ayurvedic formulations have been used already for thousands of years in India to boost canine health,” according to Gandhikumar.

As mammals, humans, dogs and cats have similar digestive systems. But they each have their own Ayurvedic formulations and increments based on a species’ weight. Holmboe: “How much do you give to different sizes of dogs? When you look at a medicinal environment, we have to be very clear, so it doesn’t harm the animal.”

Another challenge is to overcome consumer skepticism. Many pet owners may still have doubts about alternative medicine. “This can be overcome by educating consumers about the potential benefits and safety of these products, as well as by conducting more scientific research to provide evidence of their effectiveness,” says Holmboe.

More research and standardization

Gandhikumar believes research on extending Ayurvedic ingredients’ shelf life is key: “All these herbs are heat-sensitive. Once added to an extruder with high temperatures and pressures, there’s a big chance of shortened shelf life or the health benefits being affected.” One solution is to define a production process where the Ayurvedic ingredients can be mixed with heat-stable coatings, thereby increasing shelf life.

Meanwhile, a lack of regulations and standardization raises doubts – especially in the Western hemisphere – about Ayurveda’s effectiveness. In 2010, the European Union imposed a ban limiting the sale of Ayurvedic medicines, owing to a lack of adequate research on their safety and uncertainty over ingredients (many of which belong to wild species).

Bright future

Despite all this, a shift in western attitudes towards alternative medicine can be seen, with MRF’s analysis pinpointing North America as the fastest-growing region in the Ayurvedic market in 2021.

Both Gandhikumar and Holmboe agree that consumers’ renewed focus on ‘natural’ and alternative products for their – and subsequently their pets’ – well-being is key to the growth of the Ayurvedic sector.

“The future looks very bright,” concludes TABPS’s co-founder.