Nestle experienced a 2.2% increase in total reported sales for the first nine months of the 2021 fiscal year, gaining from the strength of its PetCare category.
Nestle’s overall for the nine-month period reached CHF63.3 billion (US$69 billion), up from the CHF61.9 billion reported during the same period of the 2020 fiscal year.
The company released its financial results on October 20, issuing a press release and hosting a conference call with analysts.
During the conference call, Nestle Chief Financial Officer Francois-Xavier Roger, pointed out that the PetCare category achieved a 12.1% increase in organic sales. That increase was the only category to experience double-digit growth, although the Confectionary category saw a 9.5% increase and the Powdered and Liquid Beverages category increased 9.3%.
“PetCare continued to see very strong growth globally,” said Roger. “Most segments and geographies grew at the double-digit rate, with market share gains. Purina’s performance was driven by continued strong demand for premium products, supported by successful innovation and momentum across all channels.”
Geographical performance
In North America, sales in Purina PetCare grew at a high single-digit rate, led by Purina Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Purina ONE. Purina Pro Plan LiveClear, the allergen reducing cat food, continued to see strong momentum and expanded its range to cover all life stages, the company stated.
In Latin America, Purina PetCare was the largest contributor, with strong sales developments across all brands, markets and channels, according to the press release.
Strong double-digit growth for Purina PetCare was reported in China, with that growth supported by new digitally-driven product launches.
Purina PetCare helped lead high single-digit growth in Japan, while in Oceana, Nestle reported positive growth with “market share gains and robust demand” for Purina PetCare.
Concerning Nestle’s Europe, Middle-East and North Africa (EMENA) zone, Purina PetCare posted double-digit growth, driven by the success of premium brands Felix, Gourmet and Purina Pro Plan. Veterinary products also performed well, the company reported. Also adding to the growth in the EMENA zone was the company’s Tails.com website, which continues to grow in its geographic reach. Tails.com now has more than 250,000 monthly subscribers across nine markets.
