CAT FOOD IN THE PHILIPPINES - ANALYSIS

Country Report | May 2023

KEY DATA FINDINGS Market Sizes

Retail value sales increase by 7% in current terms in 2023 to PHP3.4 billion Sales of Cat Food
Wet cat food is the best performing category in 2023, with retail value sales Retail Value RSP - PHP million - Current - 2009-2028
increasing by 8% in current terms to PHP2.1 billion
Mars Philippines Inc is the leading player in 2022, with a retail value share of 59%
3,397 Forecast
6,000
Retail sales are set to increase at a current value CAGR of 9% (2023 constant value
CAGR of 6%) over the forecast period to PHP5.3 billion 5,000

2023 DEVELOPMENTS 4,000

Positive growth and new entrants in cat food

3,000
Cat food has enjoyed rapid growth over the review period. The pandemic has prompted
pet owners and potential pet owners to explore a wider range of pets, with cats 2,000
becoming the preferred option in urban areas where restrictions on pet sizes are
common, such as in residential condominiums. New brands continue to be introduced
into the Philippine cat food category, helping to sustain consumer interest and support 1,000
volume growth. Capitalising on the growth opportunities, two such brands entered the
Philippine market in 2022. Pilmico, the integrated agribusiness and food subsidiary of 0
Aboitiz Group, launched Tommy and Maxime, catering to cats of all ages. Having 2009 2023 2028
recently entered pet food with Maxime dog food, Pilmico expanded its offerings in line
with its mission to provide food for humans, animals and pets. In addition, the player
offers products catering to various price segments (economy, mid-priced, and
Sales Performance of Cat Food
premium), allowing pet owners greater flexibility as they seek alternatives amid
% Y-O-Y Retail Value RSP Growth 2009-2028
fluctuating economic conditions. Century Pacific's Goodest, the first Philippine-made
wet cat food, is another newcomer to the market.
Other new brands available in cat food are similar to those that have entered dog food,
7.1% Forecast
50%
as some importers prefer to bring in variants for both dogs and cats. While dogs remain
the more popular household pet, there is also a growing interest in acquiring cats as
pets, providing a growing potential consumer base for new brands, such as Oasy, a 40%
premium dry cat food made from fresh and human grade ingredients. The Japanese dry
cat food brand, Beauty Pro contains Marine Collagen for a healthier skin and shinier
coat. And Araton is an imported dry cat food brand distributed by Univet Nutrition and 30%
Animal Healthcare Company.

Whiskas maintains strong leadership 20%

Mars’s Whiskas brand remains the leader in both dry and wet cat food, dominating
both, with its Sheba brand leading premium wet cat food. Pet Discount's Monge leads 10%
the premium dry cat food segment. Whiskas has focused on addressing specific needs
of cats with its latest product launches, introducing solutions for hairball and odour
control (Whiskas Hairball Control and Whiskas Indoor), skin and coat care (Whiskas Skin 0%
& Coat), and a new variant for kittens (Whiskas Junior). The brand has also launched 2009 2023 2028
Tasty Mix, a line of cat treats.
The competitive landscape in cat food has undergone changes during the COVID-19
crisis. Century Pacific Food Inc, a publicly listed company known for its canned tuna, Sales of Cat Food by Category
entered cat food towards the end of the review period, with the launch of its wet cat Retail Value RSP - PHP million - Current - 2023 Growth Performance
food brand, Goodest. The mid-priced brand is set to compete with other brands in the
supermarkets channel in which it is being distributed. Goodest is available in three Cat Treats and Mixers
flavours, Chicken Chomp, Tender Tuna, and Meaty Mackerel, and with Friskies wet cat 258.5
food dropping out of the local market in 2020, it has notable prospects for success as Dry Cat Food
there are fewer major brands to contend with in supermarkets. 1,048.4
Wet Cat Food
Distribution diversifies 2,090.2
0% 15% 30%
Cat food distribution channels in the Philippines closely resemble those for dog food,
as cat food brands are often carried by the same companies handling dog food CAT FOOD 3,397.1 CURRENT % CAGR % CAGR
YEAR % 2018-2023 2023-2028
distribution. Cat food is widely available through pet shops, speciality pet stores, GROWTH
grocery retailers, and e-commerce platforms. In 2022, Whiskas actively engaged in
promotional and discount offerings on e-commerce websites such as Shopee and
Lazada to capitalise on the growing popularity of online shopping in the Philippines.
Goodest, the new wet cat food brand, initially launched as a pure online brand to tap
into the burgeoning e-commerce channel. Some companies, such as Pilmico Animal
Nutrition Corporation (Pilmico), the parent company of Maxime in the Philippines, are

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exploring innovative distribution strategies, including reseller programmes for pet Competitive Landscape
entrepreneurs.
Company Shares of Cat Food
PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES % Share (NBO) - Retail Value RSP - 2022

Consumers may shift towards economy alternatives, as new Mars Philippines Inc 59.0%
opportunities open up Pet Discount Inc 8.4%

As economic challenges persist, there may be a shift towards economy cat food in the Royal Canin Philippines ... 5.6%
coming years. With an increasing number of brands entering the market, a wider range
Nestlé Philippines Inc 5.1%
of price points will be available for pet owners, enabling them to explore and try other
brands that offer both nutritional value and affordability. This trend is similar to that Neovia Philippines Inc 3.0%
observed in the dog food market, where consumers are also gravitating towards more
Inaba Pet Food Co Ltd 2.3%
economical options.
Kit Cat International Pt... 0.7%
Local players, both large and small, tend to cater more to dogs than to cats when they
start creating pet food. It is, therefore, noteworthy that Century Pacific Food Inc Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc 0.3%
entered cat food first as it ventured into pet care. New formats along the lines of those Others 15.7%
seen in dog food, such as dehydrated treats and fresh food sold in upright freezers, are
still not widely available in the cat food category. There are thus notable opportunities
for entrepreneurs to explore new cat food formats beyond conventional dry and wet
cat food products, especially as trends such as health and wellness exert a growing
influence on the development of dog food. Brand Shares of Cat Food
% Share (LBN) - Retail Value RSP - 2022
Growth potential in both wet and dry cat food
Whiskas 48.0%
Unlike dog food, where dry food typically outsells wet food, pet cat owners in the
Philippines tend to purchase more wet cat food for their feline companions. However, Monge 8.4%
in terms of volume sales growth rate, both dry and wet cat food segments are Sheba 7.1%
expanding at a similar pace, with wet cat food rising only slightly faster, as new dry cat
Royal Canin 5.6%
food brands enter the market (for example, Maxime). This pattern is set to continue
throughout the forecast period. Temptations 3.8%

There is an opportunity for wet cat food players to convert current cat owners to the Friskies 3.4%
wet format by adopting a more health-orientated positioning for their products, in line Minino 3.0%
with broader health and wellness trends. Brands are likely to highlight wet cat food’s
capacity to help to keep cats healthy by improving their water intake, given that cats Ciao 2.3%
are not fond of drinking water. Since wet cat food has a high moisture content, it helps Fancy Feast 1.7%
to keep cats hydrated and to avoid certain diseases such as UTI (urinary tract infection).
Although wet cat food might be more expensive than dry cat food (if brands in the Kit Cat 0.7%
same price tier are compared), it provides added benefits which might in the long run Hill's Science Diet 0.3%
lead to fewer expenses, such as visits to vets if cats are kept healthy.
Others 15.7%
Continued strong growth anticipated for cat food 5-Year Trend
Increasing share Decreasing share No change
As Filipinos become increasingly familiar with cats as pets, cat ownership is expected to
continue growing in the Philippines. Cat food is widely regarded as the next big
opportunity in the pet food industry, with several animal food businesses actively
exploring this category. This is particularly relevant as cat ownership remains at a
relatively lower base compared to dog ownership, suggesting considerable untapped
potential for market expansion.
During the forecast period, cat food is expected to benefit from growing interest in cats
as household pets, as cats are carnivores and therefore difficult to feed with table
scraps such as rice. Industry players agree that the proportion of diet made up by
prepared food is higher for cats than for dogs. Cat food thus stands to benefit from the
growing number of cats kept as household pets in the Philippines. An additional factor
contributing to the growth of pet cat popularity is increasing urbanisation, which is
leading to the growth of condominium-style homes with limited space. Cats represent
suitable companions for residents of such homes, due to their small size and quiet
nature. In addition, cats have smaller appetites than their canine counterparts, which
reduces costs. This also means that cat owners are more likely to purchase mid-priced
dry food products than dog owners are, while dog owners demonstrate a greater
propensity towards economy foods than cat owners do.

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