Mexico: New retail formats and players gain ground

Pet-related businesses in Mexico grew 5.2% between 2023 and 2025, with 42,600 registered companies in the country last year.

Data from the National Statistical Directory of Economic Units (DENUE), published by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), show that retail stores represent the largest business segment, with 17,900 outlets nationwide. The number of retail outlets selling pet supplies increased by 7.3% between 2023 and 2025.

The country had 15,900 veterinary service establishments last year, up 3.5% from 2023. Other pet-related services totaled more than 6,500 establishments, up 4.6% over the same period.

The pet accessories and clothing manufacturing segment comprised more than 1,300 establishments, up 0.7% between 2023 and 2025. By comparison, businesses specializing in animal food production totaled just over 850 establishments but recorded the strongest growth, at 8.1%.

The increase is even more pronounced compared with the pre-pandemic period. Between 2019 and 2025, the number of pet-related establishments in the country rose by 57.2%.

The expansion is also reshaping competition across Mexico’s pet industry, as retailers seek greater control over product assortments and new entrants (like pharmacy chains) target opportunities in a growing sector. GlobalPETS looks at the latest developments in the country.

Petco

The specialist pet retail chain is expanding its presence in Mexico while strengthening its digital channel.

The company reported a 12.9% increase in total-store sales in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to Grupo Gigante, the Mexican retail group that operates Petco in Mexico through a joint venture with the US-based pet retailer.

It recorded more than one million e-commerce orders, with online sales accounting for 15% of total revenue. Petco opened 12 stores during the year, ending 2025 with 156 locations across Mexico and Chile. 

Petco combines physical stores with e-commerce, its app and automatic repeat purchasing, alongside services including grooming, training and adoption. The company is also developing its Future Retail Experience 2.0 concept, which aims to integrate technology into the in-store shopping experience and improve customer interactions. 

Laika Mascotas 

The expansion of Mexico’s pet sector is also opening the door to new retail formats and players beyond the traditional pet channel. Colombia-based pet e-commerce platform Laika Mascotas returned to Mexico at the end of 2025 after ceasing operations in the country in 2023. 

In March, Laika Mexico CEO Eduardo Chedraui said the company had recovered 70% of its previous sales level since returning to the market.

The company plans to open 10 physical stores by the end of 2026 as part of an omnichannel strategy combining e-commerce with brick-and-mortar retail. The shops will come in different formats, ranging from 200 to 800 sq m, with some locations incorporating services such as veterinary care and grooming.

Laika is also operating dark stores and plans to strengthen its local supply network, including sourcing products such as toys and pet beds from Mexican manufacturers.

To support customer retention, the firm also operates a paid loyalty program, Laika Members, which offers discounts and additional benefits, including pet insurance. 

Farmacias del Ahorro

Last year, one of Mexico’s largest pharmacy chains, Farmacias del Ahorro, entered the pet food market, offering premium and super-premium food, supplements, accessories and veterinary medicines through its online channel. 

The company operates more than 1,800 stores nationwide and has been expanding its digital retail offering. The retailer also launched a free online veterinary advice service as part of its expansion into pet care.

The chain does not disclose sales figures, but Digital Executive Director Omar Galicia tells GlobalPETS that pet-supplies sales have been growing at a ‘triple-digit’ rate month over month, although the category still accounts for less than 10% of total revenue. Pet food and toys are currently the most in-demand products among customers, he says.

Farmacias del Ahorro has its own pet-care assortment, including food, supplements, repellents and flea treatments, accessories and cleaning products. 

According to Galicia, the company can deliver these products to customers in less than one hour. “We have established agreements with key suppliers such as Nupec, Royal Canin and Hill’s,” he explains.

The company also operates a marketplace model, allowing third-party sellers to expand the assortment with grooming products, toys and a wider selection of pet food brands.

Farmacias Similares

Another Mexican pharmacy chain, Farmacias Similares, expanded in June 2025 into veterinary care with the launch of SimiPet Care, offering services including vaccinations, wound care, diagnostic tests, medicines and the issuance of travel certificates for pets.

As of August 2026, SimiPet Care had announced 74 locations across 11 Mexican states and Mexico City. This includes Estado de México, Aguascalientes, Campeche, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo and Yucatán. 

Farmacias Similares’ SimiPet Care also expanded beyond consultations by opening its first veterinary clinical laboratory in October 2026. The facility is initially serving 43 clinics in Mexico City and the surrounding metropolitan area, with plans to extend the service to other states after the initial rollout. 

The company, which specializes in affordable generic medicines for humans, operates a nationwide network of more than 9,000 establishments, including company-owned stores and franchises.