Like many economies and pet food markets today, Brazil is experiencing some ups and downs. Abinpet, the Brazilian Association of the Pet Products Industry, projects the overall pet care sector to grow 3.5% in sales in 2025. While this is the lowest growth rate since 2019, signifying some headwinds even in a dynamic, developing market, it’s a number many other countries and sectors would envy.
The Brazilian pet food market has many bright spots and so much potential: In 2024, it ranked second globally in pet food volume production, and that’s with significant room to grow; currently, commercial pet food has only 45% penetration in the country’s households. In addition, pet care exports increased 29% in 2024, with pet food and treats accounting for 86% of the market’s US$500 million exports. (Abinpet produced and released this data in partnership with the Pet Brazil Institute.)
I was fortunate to visit Brazil last year at Abinpet’s invitation to see three pet product companies in and near São Paulo. Two were in segments other than pet food: Pet Society offers grooming products and Vetnil specializes in pet and equine medications and supplements. I was struck by how many similarities in strategy and operations they shared with the third company, Adimax, a large pet food producer, and how those mirror what’s happening in other markets:
- All three companies lean heavily on pet humanization, just as most other pet product companies around the world do, balanced by scientific research on what’s best for the pets;
- All were started by entrepreneurs who saw a market opening or didn’t see the type of products they thought pets deserved;
- All are relatively young, founded in the past 20 to 30 years, and growing quickly: 20% to 30% a year for Vetnil (its business switched from 50% pets/50% equine pre-pandemic to 70/30 now, due to the growing popularity of pets), with the opening of a new headquarters and plant to accommodate the expansion. Adimax opened a new processing facility in June 2024 while also expanding its main facility at its headquarters;
- Quality and safety are key for all three companies, with rigorous protocols and standards (and spotless factories);
- Other shared values include innovation, sustainability, employee respect and wellness (all have cafeterias offering free lunch daily for all staff) and commitment to social causes.
As this issue goes to press, I will again be traveling to São Paulo to attend Pet South America and host two seminars under our new Petfood Forum Brasil initiative: an update on the Brazilian pet food market by José Edson Galvão de França, executive president of Abinpet, and an overview of the latest pet food research in the country by Fabiano Cesar Sa, DVM, Ph.D., R&D manager for Adimax.
We’ll be reporting on their sessions and insights, along with other observations from Pet South America and the Brazilian market. The expectation is that the country will readily weather any economic storms thanks to the growing love for, and care of, pets there.
Brazilian pet food company gives back
