2023/04/24 - Products
Dog and cat nutrition and health: Veterinary HPM® now in India!
In 2015, our Veterinary HPM® dog and cat foods made their first appearance in Europe; they are now present in more than 30 countries worldwide. In 2023, we are continuing their development in Asia: after Japan, they have been available in India since last March, providing veterinarians and owners in the country with a preventive nutrition solution that contributes to the health of domestic carnivores.
India has a population of 1.4 billion and over 20 million pets. With a growth rate of 13% vs. 2021, the pet health market in India is booming, especially cat and dog nutrition1. Veterinarians and pet owners in India are increasingly aware of the importance of nutrition to pet health and the benefits of a diet tailored to their specific needs. The launch in March of our VETERINARY HPM® food, which has always been formulated with respect for the nature of domestic carnivores, meets this growing need for a quality, complete and balanced diet for dogs and cats.
Bringing to Indian veterinarians and owners our preventive approach to cat and dog health through nutrition
According to the India International Pet Trade Fair (IIPTF), an average of 600,000 pets are adopted each year in India, led by cats and dogs. This number is growing rapidly, driven by rising income levels and an increase in the number of adoptions, particularly in urban areas of the country. This trend is accompanied by an increased concern among pet owners about the welfare of their pets and the importance of good quality, appropriate nutrition for their health. At Virbac, we have always believed that nutrition is one of the pillars of animal health. Since 1989, we have made it a key element of our global approach to animal health by offering foods specially designed for cats and dogs, adapted to their specific anatomy and physiology. Since March 2023, our Indian teams have been bringing our long experience in pet nutrition to veterinarians and pet owners in India, through a tailor-made preventive range, adapted to the needs of growing and adult animals.
An expected arrival and a new dedicated team!
The official debut of our VETERINARY HPM® feed in India took place on 12 March in digital form, attended by 400 veterinarians from the country. It was an opportunity for our in-house animal nutrition experts to remind them of our unique formulation concept, which respects the true nature of carnivores and offers multiple health benefits for cats and dogs. Our teams then went to meet vets in the field, to share with them our tools to help them choose the most suitable food for each animal, or to better inform owners. The local sales team was strengthened by the recruitment of 11 territorial sales agents, in order to better respond to the demands of clinics and pet shops in India's 8 largest cities (Bombay, Bangalore, Cochin, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Delhi and Kolkata). This is the starting point of our history in India, before a planned deployment of our entire range throughout the country.
With this launch, we want to develop with Indian vets and owners a preventive approach and the maintenance of good health for pets through nutrition. Our development in Asia should continue between now and the end of the year, with a new step: China!
1.(estimated average annual growth rate of 4.7% over 2022-2027#) - https://www.mordorintelligence.com/fr/industry-reports/india-pet-food-market