Pet care key part of Unicharm Japan’s 2030 roadmap

Japanese company Unicharm Corp. aims to provide for the health and wellness of companion animals as well as the people who love them.

Foter/Straws pulled at random
Foter/Straws pulled at random

Unicharm Corp. has unveiled a comprehensive blueprint of how it plans to do business in the next 10 years. Called “Kyo-sei Life Vision 2030,” it declares the mid- and long-term environmental, social and corporate governance goals that the whole organization, including its subsidiary Unicharm PetCare Corp., will take to help create an inclusive and sustainable world.

“Kyo-sei” means living and working together for the common good and it brings into sharper focus Unicharm's specific ideas of an inclusive society where people and their pets can enjoy long and rich lives together.

At the press conference to announce the Kyo-sei roadmap, Takahisa Takahara, president and CEO of Unicharm Corp., said that Unicharm aims to protect and support the healthy life of everyone, from the newborn to the elderly, as well as partner animals and those that will be affected heavily by climate change.

Caring for pets worldwide

Under the 2030 Kyo-sei blueprint, Unicharm pet care business' goal is to create new markets and develop products and services that support all aspects of pets' lives, from hygiene to food, so they can coexist harmoniously with people who should welcome them as part of the family and as members of society. While other aspects of the roadmap have a 2050 target date, this one for partner animals is expected to be 100% achievable in 10 years.

Unicharm said sales and profits of their wide range of high value-added pet food and pet toiletry products increase year-on-year in Japan, North America and key Asian markets. In Japan the company worked to offset the downward trend in pet ownership by investing heavily in marketing and launching premium products, a move that lifted sales by roughly 5% and retained Unicharm's lead in the domestic pet food and pet toiletries market. In pet food, the company now offers more healthy pet food choices for specific segments based on requirements such as breed, age and health condition. Unicharm also expanded its line-up of products aimed at pets aged 15 and older.

In North America, Unicharm noted increased sales in wet-type snacks for cats — a newer concept in the U.S. market that Unicharm brought over from Japan. In emerging markets in Asia, particularly China, Unicharm plans to sell more products that help pet owners lead hygienic, comfortable lifestyles with their pets, primarily in urban markets.

Unicharm's Kyo-sei Vision 2030 is a result of surveying 900 people associated with the company and 32 organizations that provided external viewpoints. The dominant Japanese specialty pet food manufacturer, with 2019 revenues worth US$748.590 million, will turn 60 in 2021.

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