Magazine: Time to get wet

Consumer demand keeps shifting towards more convenient products in the pet food market. Nestlé Hungária brand manager Nikolett Koch told our magazine that a good price-value ratio is more important for dog owners, while a growing proportion of cat owners choose premium products, e.g. Purina ONE and Gourmet products have an increasing number of loyal buyers. Demand is growing for wet food in both the cat and the dog food segment. Single-portion pet food is more and more popular because it is easy to use, there is a wide range of products and it is very tasty – opines Zsófia Lautner, brand manager of MARS Hungary (pet food portfolio). She added that treat sales are rising by two-digit numbers probably because more pet owners tend to give some kind of functional food to their little favourites between meals.

Partner In Pet Food Hungária’s (PPF) trade marketing manager Andrea Temesi agreed that in many households pets are considered to be family members these days, therefore they are treated better than before and this has led to an increase in treat sales. Chicken, beef and for cats salmon-flavoured products are still the most popular choices of consumers. Péter Horowitz, founder and managing director of St. Pierre called our attention to the fact that the engine of the market expansion is the very fact that in Hungary still only 4 from 10 pets are fed with professional pet food, and the remaining 6 have to make do with leftover food from the dinner table – there is definitely room for growth here. He told that in value cat food sales represent about 50 percent of dog food sales (although cats only eat about one third of the quantity that dogs eat).

Mr Horowitz also mentioned the growing share of discounters in pet food sales. He also revealed that in 2015 the proportion of sales in promotion dropped for the first time after 7 years. Purina has always made great efforts to have a diverse portfolio that satisfies all kinds of pet food needs. Last year their super premium Pro Plan dog food products went through an overhaul in terms of both packaging and content. These products are based on the OPTINUTRITION formula. Friskies dog food contributes to the vitality of our canine friends. Felix Crunchy is high-quality wet cat food with added crunchy bits. Nestlé Purina does thorough research work before launching a new product or brand. Brands are separated in accordance with target group needs and under one brand name the company is trying to establish large portfolios, so that every pet owner finds what the product they need.

‘A better world for pets’ is the slogan of Mars all over the world. They pay special attention to the single-portion, dry pet food and treat segments. Last year the company updated the Whiskas products in aluminium foil bag – both in terms of packaging design and product ingredients – and this year they will do the same with dry Whiskas products. Mars also plans to introduce new product versions in the Dreamies and Whiskas treat product ranges. What is more, Pedigree single-portion and dry pet foods will also return renewed in 2016. Product lines are created with market trends and needs in mind. Certain categories receive bigger attention, so that they become available to consumers in as many places as possible.

In June PPF’s PreVital Naturel product line appears on store shelves. These products contain so-called natural meat bites. They will come out in chicken, beef and salmon versions in both single-portion and multipack formats. The company enters the dog food market with the same innovation. PPF started out as a private label pet food manufacturer but now they have their own cat food brand (PreVital), dog food brand (VitalBite) and brands for feeding both cats and dogs (Dax, Reno). St. Pierre launched their Ozzi brand in 2013: Ozzi products can be used to feed both cats and dogs. First dry products came out, followed later by single-portion wet products and the plan is that 2016 will bring the debut of Ozzi treats (this is the most dynamically developing segment). Future plans include developing special food products for sterilised cats and a portfolio for small dogs. In the brand’s communication the company focuses on Ozzi’s values that can be beneficial to both cat and dog owners. St. Pierre firmly believes that the brand will find its target group as every fourth Hungarian pet owner has both cats and dogs. /