How India’s largest private food player plans to boost its pet food business

India’s largest private food company has injected ₹200 crore ($22.5M/€19.3M) to set up a pet food facility in Zaheerabad in the state of Telangana, 1,600 km from New Delhi.

The new site has a production capacity of 10 tons per hour, making it one of Asia’s largest programmable logic controllers (PLC)-automated pet food manufacturing units, the company says. It is designed with scalability in mind, allowing for future capacity expansion.

“This investment marks the beginning of a long-term, consumer-facing diversification strategy,” Nitin Kulkarni, the company’s Business Head for Pet Food, tells GlobalPETS. “The Allana Group aims to establish a robust presence in animal nutrition and companion care, supported by ongoing R&D and product innovation.” 

The investment focused on extrusion technology, packaging systems and quality assurance processes as well as training, research and development and capacity building for recipe development tailored to Indian pets’ needs and climate conditions.

“The Group sees pet nutrition as a high-growth, high-potential segment that aligns with evolving consumer lifestyles, increasing pet adoption and growing awareness around pet wellbeing,” Kulkarni adds.

Long-term strategy

In the next few years, the company intends to expand its pet care portfolio across multiple price segments and product categories, catering to both urban and emerging markets. Currently, it has an annual pet food production capacity of 15,000 metric tons.

“Our focus is on bridging the gap between quality and affordability. Many pet parents in India today must choose between expensive imported brands and inconsistent local options,” Kulkarni says.

In addition, the expansion represents a strategic diversification within Allana’s global protein and food ecosystem. 

“The Group already operates across edible oils, frozen foods, agri-commodities and animal protein exports to over 85 countries. The pet food business leverages these synergies to build a strong, integrated nutrition portfolio. It strengthens Allana’s footprint from ‘farm to family to furry companions,’ completing a 360° presence in the food value chain,” he says.

Currently, the facility is focused on dry food and treat formats under their flagship brands Bowlers (for dogs) and Purrfeto (for cats) which includes kibble, jerky, bars and treats. 

“Future phases will see the addition of wet food and functional nutrition lines, expanding our product range across different feeding occasions and dietary needs” he adds.

Outlook

Aside from capacity building, the new facility will pave the way for international expansion. “Our primary focus is the Indian market, but we are also preparing for exports in line with global quality and safety standards,” Kulkarni says.

The facility in Zaheerabad will serve as the company’s central manufacturing and innovation hub, while the group is also exploring opportunities to establish regional units and distribution centers to enhance accessibility and reduce logistics time.

Indian pet industry

India’s pet care industry is growing at between 17-18% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), driven by rising urbanization, nuclear families and increasing pet humanization.

Currently, India has over 35 million pets, and this number is expected to cross 45 million by 2030. 

“Pet ownership has surged over the past few years, yet the market remains underpenetrated in terms of consistent, research-backed and locally produced nutrition,” Kulkarni concludes. “Our pet food business is a natural extension of our commitment to nutrition, trust and innovation.”