As pet parents seek the best for their dogs, they purchase human-grade food that resembles a meal they would eat themselves
Unlike other two-year-olds, Timtim loves broccoli and peas. He starts the day with two boiled eggs, each filled with a broccoli floret. His dinner consists of a portion of boiled peas. “If my baby doesn't see the green, he won't eat,” laughs software engineer Saurabh Khurana from Delhi.
When Khurana, 35, adopted Timtim, a retriever, from an animal shelter in 2022, it was clear to him that he wanted to feed him nutritional, freshly cooked food. So he woke up at 5 a.m. and, with the help of his wife, prepared Timtim's dinner: a combination of chicken, rice and vegetables. But combined with the workload in the office, it was an exhausting exercise.
Early last year, Khurana began looking for brands that serve healthy pet food with “human-grade” ingredients, or made in accordance with regulations for ready-to-eat human food products. Today, Khurana relies on three platforms to deliver food for his dog: sometimes it's pork and lentils; often rice, chicken and vegetables, including peas. The food looks and even almost tastes like what humans would eat.
“I have tasted all the food I ordered. It is the same as what we eat, minus the salt and masala,” says Khurana, who spends money ₹15,000 per month in animal food, about 10% more compared to the time he cooked for Timtim at home. The dog seems to have adapted well to the “outdoor food”. “Why should he eat smelly, packaged food (referring to kibble), when I can afford to feed him food that looks like food and keeps him healthy?” says Khurana.
As millennials and Gen Zers reimagine the idea of parenthood, they are willing to spend more time and effort to ensure their beloved pets eat nutritious food, even if it means spending more money. Several startups and brands count on this deep-rooted urge. From gluten-free to vegan and vegetarian diets, the Indian market is slowly but surely seeing an increase in pet foods that are seemingly less processed and in some cases more similar to human food.
According to Statista, sales in India's pet food market will reach $640 million by 2024 (approximately ₹5,300 million). It is expected to grow at an annual rate of 12.63% and reach $1.03 billion in the next four years. Globally, most revenues are generated in the US (over $57 billion in 2023).
While there is no official data on the growth of human-grade pet food in India, a quick search online and in stores for customized and 'holistic' options is enough to give an idea of how serious people are becoming about wellness from the human. their pets. “Being a pet parent is different from being a human parent. If you are a pet parent, you know that unless something unusual happens, you will outlive your pet,” says Ishmeet Singh Chandiok, a pet parent and chef who has done stints at Hyatt and JW Mariott. He is the founder of Harley's Corner, a ready-to-eat premium dog food brand that claims to use human-grade ingredients and no preservatives to prepare meals.
The dishes Harley offers include Goulash ( ₹625 for 900g; to give an idea: a 30 kg dog needs 360-450 g per meal), a low-fat meal consisting of a mixture of sorghum millet, pumpkin seeds, brewer's yeast, sweet potato, chicken, brown rice, cod liver oil, wheat germ oil, vegetables , algae calcium and seaweed powder; and Wooferole ( ₹800 for 900 grams), a 'complete diet meal' that combines fish, brown rice, quinoa, pumpkin, algae calcium and vegetables. My dog and I tried the Goulash. It looked and tasted like chicken Khichdi, without salt and spices. My dog finished it in seconds.
“If I can help my dog live even one year longer, that would be priceless,” says Singh. “This kind of belief is driving interest in human-quality pet food, along with a growing awareness in general around wellness and what you eat and feed your pet.”
Human-grade pet food means, in simple terms, food that is fit for human consumption. “People can eat it, but it is not recommended as pet food contains vitamins, minerals and supplements that are more suitable for animals,” said Shivangi Raina, a veterinarian from Bengaluru.
“Companies follow the strictest rules and regulations when it comes to human food. So when you claim that you offer human-grade pet food, it means less risk of contamination and better nutrition,” says Raina, product executive manager at Drools Pet Food, a company that offers human-grade food with claims that “genuine chicken, liver and eggs keep them (dogs) active, while natural ingredients promote healthy skin and coat.”
A HUMAN LENS
Gone are the days when dogs were seen only as home guardians and were fed kitchen scraps and kibble made with excess meat and everything from feet to feathers.
“The pandemic may have accelerated the trend (of 'humanization' of animals), but it is something that started about a decade ago, when the functional factor (dogs as house guards) shifted to the emotional factor. Animals are no longer just animals,” says Vineet Khanna, co-founder of Supertails, a pet care platform that offers everything from food and clothing to accessories and vet consultations. In 2022, Supertails launched its pet food brand Henlo, which offers baked food for dogs. The kibble-like offering comes with claims of “100% human-grade ingredients” and no use of artificial preservatives, fillers or chemicals. “We follow the slow cooking process to ensure the flavors and nutrients are retained,” says Khanna.
Delayed marriages, later pregnancies, loneliness and increasing stress levels are some of the reasons why more and more people are becoming pet parents, and “in many cases it is their first major responsibility in life, so they want to ensure the best of everything for them. says Khanna, explaining the idea behind Henlo.
None of the brands (Harley's Corner, Supertails and Drools) would share sales figures, although they said they were in expansion mode. For example, Henlo is adding more chicken products with flavors such as pumpkin and pomegranate. Harley's wants to increase options for treats and other chews. The brands did say that a large chunk of customers were between the ages of 18 and 35 and were from big cities, while orders were pouring in from tier I and II cities like Coonoor, Shillong and Mysuru.
One of the gaps in the market that the Supertails team found was that many people did not like the smell of packaged pet food. Khanna says they have taken this into account so that the food tastes and smells good.
However, there are no rules when it comes to human-grade pet food. “In India, compliance with the Bureau of Indian Standards pet food standards is voluntary,” says Salil Murthy, director of Mars Petcare, an 80-year-old American brand that has been in business in India for two decades. “There is a significant opportunity for us to work with government and industry peers to ensure these standards become mandatory. It is crucial to standardize certain nutrients and their amounts based on scientific evidence. Standardization would prevent the spread of misleading information.”
For now, Khurana likes to feed Timtim food that resembles what is on his own plate. “It's not that I blindly follow what the companies say. I do my research and see what impact it has,” he says. “Timtim is our child. I know what is best for him.”