INDIAN PET GROOMING INDUSTRY – Current Market Situation, Opportunities, Challenges
By Priyanka Kaushal*
With the emerging global trends, Indian people have also started adopting pets as their family members. Increasing awareness about pets and pet care products via internet has led to a double digit growth in Indian Pet Industry in last few years. Pet business in India is gradually growing, paving an incredible pathway for future pet-related services, especially for pet grooming industry. Currently, it occupies a small but very significant place in Indian pet market.
Pet grooming refers to maintenance of well-being and health of animals. Basic pet grooming products include shampoos & conditioners for bathing, clippers & scissors for nail clipping and trimming, and combs & brushes for hair cleaning. Other products include tooth paste to brush teeth and massage oils to massage pets. The introduction of grooming products has gained a huge demand in a short period in the Indian market. They have become a necessity to help retain healthy fur, skin, and texture of pets. In this scenario, Creature Companion organized a webinar on September 29, 2020 to access the current market situation with reference to Indian Pet Grooming Industry. It was attended by various budding entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and pet parents.
It was hosted by Andrea Cyrill Khurana, Founder of Petsburgh and Founding President of The Professional Pet Groomer’s Association, India. Being an Internationally Certified Groomer and one of the pioneers of Indian pet grooming industry, she moderated the session in a way that opportunities and challenges of the industry were discussed extensively.
Panelists for the day were as follows:
Leena Mukhi – Apart from being the Director Pet Care Capt Zack, she is a self-styled entrepreneur, an ardent dog lover, and a passionate beagle-mom who has over twenty five years of experience in this field.
Anand Kanojia – Assoc. Vice President (Marketing & Sales), Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. He has an experience of more than 19 years in Pharmaceuticals Animal Health Speciality.
Nishita Agarwal – Animal lover turned entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Papa Pawsome, a grooming brand with Natural Grooming Essentials for pets.
The learned panel dwelled upon various aspects of Indian Pet Grooming Industry from both entrepreneurs’ and pet owners’ point of view. They discussed about growing factors affecting the industry and how grooming industry in India is responding to the current dynamic market situation.
To use suitable grooming products is the key to wellbeing of our pets. So it is very important for pet parents to understand the grooming needs of their pets in consonance with the breed. Our experts emphasized upon the use of appropriate products in an appropriate manner. They educated pet parents about suitability of grooming products available in the market.
Another aspect highlighted by our panelists was the importance of vet guidance in selecting and making use of grooming products. Veterinarians play a very important role in today’s pet parenting. They are looked upon as people who can best advise on the general wellbeing of our pets and we cannot agree more on their role in shaping the choices of pet parents in terms of grooming products. Our experts had at length discussion on each and every aspect of veterinarian guidance in this.
Apart from this, our panelists had a lot to speak about the changing dynamics of metro and two/three tier cities of India in terms of consumption of pet grooming products. The exposure and availability of pet grooming products differ with the city type and consequently, this factor has its impact on choices made by the population residing in that city.
The discussion was concluded with a consensus of opinion that Indian Pet Grooming Industry is flourishing on a steady pace. Our brand leaders are introducing new and innovative products in the market keeping in focus different needs of pets. This in turn is helping Indian pet care market to be a pavilion of incredible possibilities.
*Editor- Creature Companion Magazine
