Las mascotas se han convertido en uno de los protagonistas en el consumo de alimentos, ropa y todo tipo de accesorios. Tanto grandes empresas como emprendedores recién llegados al mercado están listos para aprovechar el impulso que la pandemia de coronavirus dio a este negocio. Los jugadores sacan la garra en el mundo físico y el comercio electrónico.
The estimated value that would reach sales of the Pet Care industry or pet care in Mexico during 2021 is 2,455 million dollars (MDD), which represents significant growth, if compared to 2016, when this figure was barely1,664 MDD, which represents a growth of 47.5%.By 2025, it is expected to grow in 27.2%, according to data from Euromonitor International.
In Mexico, 57 out of 100 homes have a pet.Among the various pets, 85% correspond to dogs, which represents 19 million of these animals, according to information from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).All an opportunity to grow in business.
Electronic commerce became one of the great impulses for the sale of products and services of the friends of the home.Only in Mexico, the Pet Care category in E-Commerce had a growth of 792.3% in the 2015-2020 period, explains Euromonitor International.
In addition, in April 2020, 5% of the people who made purchases for the first time on the Internet chose pet products, while, in June and October of that same year, the percentage was 3%, says the “5.0 report:IMPACT COVID-19 for sale online in Mexico ”, prepared by the Mexican Association of Online Sales (AMVO).
Also, 10% of respondents in April last year located the category of pets between the main products and services to buy, which positioned it among the main eight preferences.
This is the story of a constant business, which promises larger and growing players for firms, regardless of their size.
He puts a dog
The Petco supermarket chain has been one of the companies that turn the adverse conditions through electronic commerce and the renewal of its sales channels.
“Pandemia made us more efficient in all channels, and our clients too.Being locked by the issue of pandemic, they had different needs and now seek omnichannel.We are attending to the client as he wants, where he wants and when he wants, ”says Alejandro Ahuad Goya, general director of Petco Mexico.
Petco is a company from the United States, which opened its first branch in Mexico on January 24, 2013, through a Temporary Strategic Association (Joint Venture) with the Mexican conglomerate Grupo Gigante.
The president of Grupo Gigante, Ángel Losada Moreno, and its general director, Federico Bernaldo Quirós, highlighted the growth of Petco in their last annual report."Petco's performance was exceptional for 2020, with growth in sales of more than 30% in physical stores and more than 100% in digital trade."
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The Losada family, majority shareholder of Grupo Gianto, is located in position 28 of the “List of Millionaires 2021” of Forbes Mexico, with a fortune estimated at 1,040 million pesos, which represents a growth of 7.2% compared to 2019.
In general, Grupo Gigante registered total income, in 2020, for 26,276 million pesos (MDP), while, in the previous year, it registered 32,445 million pesos, which represents a 19% drop for the company.
The sales of the pet firm had an increase of 35% for 2020, compared to the previous year.30% of electronic commerce sales were completed through Petco App.
"We also reported excellent results through the 'Petco Easy Buy' program, where we obtained a 168% increase in our sales, as well as the 30% increase in online sales participation of the 'Petco App'," says the last reportAnnual Giant Group Financial.
The firm witnessed how consumers migrated from physical sales to electronic commerce, despite the fact that this type of pet stores did not lower their curtains, since they were considered among those carried out "essential activities."
For this 2021, Petco plans to conclude the year with the opening of 12 stores, to reach a total of 108 new branches.In addition, the company will allocate part of its infrastructure investments to reinforce its technology and consolidate omnichannel.
Alejandro Ahuad Goya is satisfied by the effort of his team and the market dsempeño."The one who works here is me, and I can't take many flowers, because those who do everything are in my team," says the manager, with a smile, in the face of the results.
But not only the large store chains take advantage of the good business streak.Entrepreneurs have a story to tell.
PET entrepreneurs
Four years ago, Fernanda Rodríguez discovered that he could undertake in the pet business and founded PET necklace, a firm that markets artisanal dogs for dogs.
Two years before undertaking, the young Mexican bought two woven bracelets and decided to join them to form a collar for her pug dog.This is how she began the search for someone who could materialize the production of this article, since it was a land that had not yet been explored.However, the costs were very high.
A few months later, during a vacation in Chiapas, Fernanda met José, a Chiapaneco resident who put her in touch with the artisans in the region, to raise their idea.With a small investment and the confidence of both parties, the elaboration of the first necklaces for pets began.
The pieces made in a piece of leather and an artisanal fabric began to be sold in bazaars of Mexico City, but consumers also began to request straps for necklaces, as well as panties.New models were added to the entrepreneur's offer.
In addition, the young woman graduated from the veterinary career also created a brand of fabric products for people, called Kanava, which offers belts for cameras, bags, hats and shirts.However, Collar Pet is still the favorite brand among consumers.
“Pets are already part of our family.We have the other brand, which is part of us [Kanava], and people prefer to buy a necklace for their dog than take a bag for them.This market grew a lot, ”says Fernanda.
But the sanitary contingency for the Coronavirus Sars-COV-2 would bring favorable surprises for the PET collar business."Pandemia helped us a lot," says Rodríguez, talking about the impulse that products had in the national territory, and also abroad.
Today, Collar Pet sends products to Spain, the United States and El Salvador.The firm has an Internet page to market its goods and take advantage of social networks to spread its offer among pet lovers.
The entrepreneur has decided to show the value of the artisanal products of Mexico, which may require up to 12 hours of work in the case of braided pieces.This has been a way to take advantage of the pet market and boost the work of national artisans.
The main challenge is to meet the growing demand of the products and have the ability to produce the pieces in high demand seasons, as has been the case of the days of the pandemic.In addition, it has managed to enable payment by electronic means through the Payment Market Platform, since people request this type of tools for the ease of transactions.
"Pandemia helped us ... too much," says Fernanda Rodríguez, whose products are marketed in a range of 260 to 600 pesos.
PET necklace sales has reached levels above 50%.This "made in Mexico" for pets is not the only case of entrepreneurship in the business.
Mónica Juárez is a veterinary medical and her specialty was anesthesiar horses.However, the pandemic caused her to change her professional course, since the shortage of work led her to think about new businesses.
Thus, he devised a canine aesthetic and installed it in the backyard of his house.In addition to haircuts and arrangement in general, it offers various accessories.The space is called The Barkbery.and is located in the State of Mexico.
The substantial change in your business was the payment of services through bank cards and the promotion in social networks, to sell your products or services.
"I am already doubting to return with the horses [...] it has been a very good turn and I liked [entrepreneurship]," says Mónica Juárez.
At present, the business has allowed you to install two operating rooms in different locations to serve pets that require service in the community, in addition to offering dog walks.
The challenge for pet businesses is to generate trust among users and professionalize the services of the item, the entrepreneur thinks.
Monica's plans focus on continuing in the pet market and formalizing the creation of an entire clinic to provide new services, such as pet psychology, for example, in addition to opening an additional branch."All this has a lot of boom and potential to exploit it," says the veterinary physician.
Juicy growth
Express shipping companies have also taken advantage of the impulse of the pet market, both nationals and foreigners.One of those firms is the Dostavista startup, which has increased the delivery of products during the confinement season.
The Delivery Express firm has registered a 500% growth in the number of products and pet foods within Mexico City and the metropolitan area so far from 2021, and it is expected that, at the end of this year, can record an accumulated advance of up to 1,000%.
"We had to be on the side of the currency, where we grew a lot [...] people and companies are being professionalized on the issue of electronic commerce, and before [of the pandemic] that did not happen," says Iñaki de la Peña, countryDostavista manager.
This company, founded in Russia in 2012, has focused on developing a technological platform of logistics and packages, which competes with Ivoy in the country.
In May 2017, Dostavista landed in Mexico and has taken the opportunity to grow with electronic commerce in the capital of the country and Guadalajara, Jalisco.The Covid-19 Pandemia allowed him to achieve historical growth.
The promise of the firm is to deliver within 60 minutes, while the average in Mexico City ranges around 45 minutes.His times have allowed this startup to be attractive for the delivery of products in the pet market.
“De 2019 a 2020, cuadruplicamos el número de usuarios en la categoría de animales”, dice De la Peña, quien está convencido que categorías como el alimento tendrán un crecimiento en los próximos años. Algunas empresas del pet care que colaboran con Dostavista son Petco, LEA&BO, Señor Dog, La Farmascota, Hospital veterinario UNAM Banfield y Vet & Pet’s Pharma, entre otras marcas.
“It is an industry that grows a lot, and we are increasingly adopted to the‘ Perrhijos ’;We see them as part of the family.And all this trend, guided towards premium food and attend them better, has caused that niche to exploit, ”says Iñaki, talking about an industry that does not stop and removes the claws.
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