— By Pallavi Anand
Women at the Forefront of India’s Pet Care Revolution
Across India’s fast-growing pet ecosystem, women are emerging as some of its most influential changemakers – founders of pet-care and pet-wellness brands, veterinarians, nutritionists, trainers, groomers, animal welfare advocates or shelter operators. They are helping shape the industry’s growth and raising standards across the value chain.
What makes their impact particularly powerful is that it often extends beyond commercial success. Many bring a deep sense of empathy and purpose to their work, viewing pets not merely as customers, but as family members whose well-being deserves care and attention. By combining business acumen with genuine compassion, women are building trusted brands, stronger communities, and a more responsible pet ecosystem. Their success is a reminder that in this industry, care is not just a value—it is a competitive advantage.
My advice would women aspiring to leadership roles would be:
- Build confidence through competence — Focus on continuously building your expertise. Confidence follows naturally when you are strong in your fundamentals and consistently deliver results.
- Seek learning & diverse experiences, don’t self-limit — Often, the biggest barriers are the ones we set for ourselves. Take on challenging roles, step outside your comfort zone, and actively seek stretch opportunities.
- Build strong networks and ask for support — Leadership is not a solo journey. Surround yourself with mentors, peers, and sponsors who can guide and challenge you.
Most importantly, stay authentic. There is no one template for leadership. The uniqueness you bring – your perspective, your resilience, your values – is your biggest strength.
India’s Pet Care Market Continues Its Growth Story
As per a Euromonitor report, the market size (as retail value or MRP) was INR 6,300 crores in 2025, growing at about 13%. The report also suggests that the category is expected to grow steadily at a rate of more than 15% till 2030. 7151 crores – 2121 cat food, ~5030 dog food.
Euromonitor reports suggest that India has about 40 million pet dogs and about 4 million pet cats.
Over the last few years, India’s pet care industry has evolved from a largely product-led category into a far more sophisticated pet-care ecosystem. While pet food continues to account for a relatively larger share of India’s pet care industry, the market is evolving rapidly. Pet parents are increasingly seeking premium nutrition, specialised wellness solutions and high-quality healthcare, reflecting a growing tendency to view pets as family members rather than simply animals. At the same time, adjacent categories such as veterinary care, grooming, insurance, telehealth and other specialised services are gaining traction quickly.
The Future Looks Bright—But There’s Work to Do
India’s pet care industry has immense headroom for growth, particularly through greater awareness around pet nutrition, healthcare, grooming and training. As pet ownership rises, there is a significant opportunity to help pet parents make more informed decisions that improve the well-being and quality of life of their pets.
At the same time, pet parenting, especially for cats, as a concept is still relatively nascent in India, creating scope for education and engagement across every stage of the pet ownership journey. Building trust will also be critical. This can be done either through quality products, reliable services or credible guidance that helps pet parents navigate an evolving category.
The brands and organisations that can combine innovation with education and trust-building will be best positioned to shape a more mature, responsible and sustainable pet care ecosystem for the future.
The Right Knowledge Makes All the Difference
As I mentioned, education is fundamental to improving the quality of life for pets in India. As pet parenting continues to evolve, there is a significant opportunity to build awareness around balanced nutrition, preventive healthcare, regular grooming and training. Informed pet parents are better equipped to make decisions that support their pets’ long-term health and well-being. Ultimately, education helps shift the focus from treating problems to preventing them, leading to healthier and happier pets.
I am proud to be working for Nestlé Purina, one of the Global leaders in Pet food, and our objective is to drive pet nutrition forward through industry-leading research with veterinarians, scientists, and pet care experts. Our passion for pets has kept us going for more than 100 years now and helped us delve into forging partnerships in the pet welfare world and raise awareness of what pets truly need.
Where the Growth is Coming From
The trends that we see driving growth in India’s pet care market are:
- The rise of first-time pet parents, especially millennials and Gen Z, who increasingly view pets as family.
- Growing demand for premium nutrition and wellness solutions.
- The rapid expansion of the broader ecosystem, including grooming, healthcare, insurance and other specialised pet-care services.
Currently, metros lead in premium products and specialised services due to higher disposable incomes and greater awareness. However, growth is increasingly becoming more broad-based, with smaller cities now showing strong adoption of pet-care products and services, as awareness and access improve, especially with e-commerce and quick commerce expansion.
More Than Pets, They Are Family
It is inspiring to see how pet parenting in India has evolved. Today, pets are cherished as family members, prompting pet parents to make more informed choices about nutrition, healthcare, grooming, and overall well-being.
At Nestlé, we experience this bond through our annual ‘Pets at Work’ event, where pets bring joy, warmth, and positive energy to the workplace. Moments like these reflect the deepening connection between pet parents and their pets across India.
Purina – Global Standards, Indian Solutions
At Nestlé Purina, we recognise that pet parenting in India is still evolving, with many families welcoming a pet for the first time. Our role is not just to provide nutrition, but also to help pet parents better understand their pets’ needs. We bring 100+ years of global expertise in pet nutrition while listening closely to what Indian pet parents are looking for as their relationships with their pets deepen.
Nestlé Purina continues to aim at bringing the same global standards of nutrition to Indian pet parents at a price that they will value.
We also rapidly expanded our cat portfolio this year with more offerings from Felix and also extended our Global flagship brand Pro Plan into the Cat portfolio.
Working Together to Strengthen the Pet Care Ecosystem
The biggest opportunity for collaboration lies in education and trust-building. Brands, veterinarians, shelters and pet media each engage with pet parents at different stages of their journey, and together they can create a more informed ecosystem. By sharing credible, science-backed information on nutrition, healthcare, adoption and responsible pet ownership, they can help pet parents make better decisions with confidence.
We organized ‘Unleashed by Purina’, the Pet Tech MeetUp in Bangalore last year, where we collaborated with different industry stakeholders. The event united 66 innovative startups with 35 enthusiastic investors. There were enriching panel discussions featuring global leaders in the pet care space, pet startups, and investors.
Ethics at the Heart of Growth
In pet care, growth and responsibility go hand in hand. Pets are family, and that means every decision has to start with what’s best for them.
For us, growth is built on trust – offering high-quality nutrition backed by science, following the highest standards, and encouraging responsible pet parenting.
India is still at an early stage when it comes to commercial pet food adoption. That allows us to educate pet parents about balanced nutrition and make quality care more accessible. If we do that consistently, growth will follow. Because lasting businesses are built by earning trust, one pet and one family at a time.
Looking Towards a Bright Future for Indian Pet Care
Pet care is one of those rare categories that is both commercially exciting and deeply emotional. When people bring a pet home, they’re welcoming a new family member.
Over the next decade, we expect more families to own pets, greater awareness about science-backed premium nutrition, and a stronger ecosystem where veterinarians, breeders, digital platforms, and brands work together to make pet care better.
I hope India becomes a country where every pet parent has access to trusted advice and quality nutrition, because every pet deserves a long, healthy and happy life.
(Pallavi Anand – Business Head, Nestlé Purina Petcare, South Asia region)
Meet the Leader: An experienced business leader with over 16 years of experience in the food and beverage industry across Nestlé and Perfetti Van Melle. Has led growth across diverse categories including confectionery, child nutrition, and pet care, and currently spearheads the expansion of Nestlé Purina in India, working alongside a passionate and high-performing team to build the pet nutrition category. Beyond the workplace, she is a compassionate and fun-loving mother of two who strongly believes in equal parenting. She is committed to creating a meaningful balance between family, career, and personal well-being while continually growing as a leader and individual.