The 4th Indian Pet Industry – Dialogue 2024, held at Grand Blossom, Goregaon (W) on October 4, 2024, focused on the Pet Retail Landscape in India. The event started with an Inaugural Address by Linda Hawke, Convener of the IIPTF and Publisher of Creature Companion Magazine, setting the tone for the day’s discussions on the evolving pet industry.
The first session, titled “Role of Pet Food Companies in Developing Pet Market,” featured key industry leaders such as Satinder Singh (GM Royal Canin), Rakesh Mohan (Executive Director of Scientific Remedies Pvt Ltd.) and Varun Sharma (Co-Founder, GNV Commodities). The panel, moderated by Ipshit Bhattacharya (Founder, Luvin), explored the significant role that pet food companies play in expanding and sustaining the pet market in India.
Following this, a session on the “Pet Specialty Retail Landscape in India” provided insights into the retail sector, with contributions from Kruti Reddy (Co-Founder, Pet Warehouse), Amirali Charania (Director, Shakehands), Mayank Satija (Founder, Pets Empire), and Roshen Varghese (National Category Head, Drools). This session was moderated by Vishal Mundhra, from Mars, highlighting strategies for growth and innovation in pet specialty retail.
The next session, “Therapeutical Markets for Companion Animals,” discussed developments in animal healthcare. Speakers like Dr. Sandip Joshi (Himalaya Wellness), Sanjay Awaghate (VP, Virbac Animal Health India), Mandar Deshpande (Reliance Life Sciences), and Dr. Makrant Chavan (Secretary, PPAM) shared their expertise on this growing field, with moderation by Govind Suryawanshi (Royal Canin).
The panel on the “Prospect of Birds and Small Animals Products” featured Bharat Pittie (Director, Orange Pet Nutrition), Prabakar Ramasamy (CEO, Taiyo Feed Mill), and Rahul Jain (Director, Birdees). This discussion, moderated by Dr. Shiwani Tandel (Founder, The Exotic Vet), delved into the potential growth in the niche market of bird and small animal products.
After a networking Lunch, the afternoon resumed with a technical session on “Pet Food Manufacturing” led by Bogusia Dziedzic and Mariusz Dziedzic, co-founders of Petfood Specialities d.o.o., where they discussed the intricacies of manufacturing and nutrition in pet food.
A session on “Pet Influencer Marketing” was led by Akash Bhaskar (Pet Social Media Influencer), and Hitesh Sharma (pet influencer known as Plowythecat), discussed “Influencer Marketing in Pet Industry”, highlighting the impact of digital influencers.
Ashish Anthony, Founder of Just Dogs, then led a session on “Pet Specialty Retail – Now and Future”, providing insights into the evolving landscape of retail in this sector.
After a short Tea Break, the final sessions kicked off with Shirin Dhabhar, Founder of Canines Can Care, discussing “Understanding Canine Behaviour to Improve Customer Experience,” shedding light on the importance of behavioural knowledge in enhancing pet ownership experiences.
The day concluded with an engaging panel on the “Pet Start-Up Ecosystem,” featuring entrepreneurs like Abhishek Agarwal (Co-Founder, Innomalous), Ajinkya Jayant Chopade (Founder & CEO, ProMeal), Gauri Shyam Sawant (Sagar Aquarist), Shubhesh Goel (Director, Shubhesh Sales), and Ankit Alok Bagaria (Director & CEO, Loopworm). This panel, moderated by Hari Shankar (Co-Founder, Pets of Paradise), emphasized the dynamic and innovative growth within pet industry startups.
The event concluded with a group selfie, marking the successful completion of a comprehensive day of learning and networking within the Indian pet industry.