China's pet industry is evolving at a pace unmatched worldwide, with consumer and industrial upgrades that take five to seven years in mature markets compressed into just one to two years locally, Ganesh Ramani, general manager of Mars Pet Nutrition China, said in an exclusive interview with China Daily.
"The changes we see across the globe happen at a certain pace, but in China they happen much faster. The timelines are compressed," Ramani said on the sidelines of the 28th Pet Fair Asia held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from Wednesday to Sunday, which gathered over 2,600 exhibitors from across the full pet industry chain.
Ramani attributed the speed to a comprehensive supply chain, a highly digital retail environment and strong social media influence. Additionally, the influx of first-time pet owners has further energized the market.
China is home to over 100 million pets, and most new pet-owning families have no multi-generational tradition of keeping animals. Consumers actively search for pet care knowledge online and are highly receptive to new information, fueling the growth of more than 3,000 pet food brands in constant innovation, said Ramani.
"Chinese consumers are probably among the most demanding in the world. They pay very close attention to what is on the back of the pack — they research ingredients, formulas, recipes and production processes, and look for validation of what companies are claiming," Ramani said, adding that such rational consumption will push the industry to raise standards and drive out speculative players.
