Canada Pet Food Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Canada Pet Food Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Canadian pet food market is projected to register a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period

• The pet food market in Canada is a booming industry, with hundreds of pet stores across the country serving pet cats and dogs living in Canadian households. Canada has more than 2000 pet stores, with a major number in Ontario. Consumers have become progressively more concerned about the diets of their pets and spend on buying protein-rich, nutritious, and customized pet foods for their pets.
• Furthermore, Canadian people highly prefer natural and organic products. The factor that drives the market is pet refinement/humanization, which is influencing the purchase decisions, increasing the adoption of pets by elderly people, and increasing the trend of nuclear families. The restraints identified in this market are regulations imposed on pets and pet food.
• E-commerce has also positively impacted the Canada pet food market. Various online retailers are delivering pet food to consumers’ doorsteps. This easy availability of various pet food products has increased demand, especially for premium pet food.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the pet population increased to 27.9 million in 2020. Dogs and cats remain the primary constituents of the pet industry, as indoor birds, tropical and other fish, and small mammals, including guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, and rodents, are not as popular among Canadian pet owners as having a dog or cat as a pet.

According to the Canada Veterinary Medical Association, Canadian households had 8.1 million cats and 7.9 million dogs in 2020. The adoption rate of pets is anticipated to increase during the forecast period due to the behavioral changes that occurred during the lockdown period. Longevity and solitary lifestyles in big cities make pets important in people's lives.

Pet humanization is also influenced by rising income, changing demographic patterns, and consumer preferences. The annual per capita income in Canada increased by 0.9% in 2018-2019. With increasing buying capacity among the population, the number of households with at least one pet may increase steadily during the forecast period.

The pet food trade has grown significantly in the past few years in Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) oversees both the import and export of pet food. For imports, the CFIA ensures that ingredients and finished products originate from countries and facilities that have been assessed and meet their local and Canadian requirements.

According to ITC, the import of pet food increased by 59% during 2017 to 2021. In 2021, 0.4 million metric ton of pet food were imported into Canada, an increase of 8.9% from 2020. The United States is the major exporter of pet foods to the country. In 2021, the pet food import from the United States accounted for 90% of the total import, valued at USD 95.8 thousand. The import from the United States increased by 53.2% during 2017 to 2021.

Apart from the United States, Thailand, China, and New Zealand are the other major exporters of pet food to the country. With the increasing demand for pet food due to the increased population of pets in the country, the import of pet food is anticipated to increase to meet the demand along with the national production.

The Canadian pet food market is consolidated, with a few major players dominating the market. Nestlé SA and Mars Inc. are the major international players dominating the market. Apart from the international players, local players such as Petcurean Pet Foods also have a significant share in the market. The major players include Nestlé SA, Mars Inc., Champion Petfoods LP, The JM Smucker Co., and Petcurean Pet Foods. The key strategies adopted by the market leaders include product innovations, acquisitions, and expansions.

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support