The recent opening of a new facility by Symrise AG in Querétaro is, at first glance, another sign of continued investment in Mexico's pet food industry. But the more relevant story may lie in how the company is reading the market.
According to insights shared by Symrise, 78% of pet owners in Mexico express interest in personalized nutrition, yet only 30% report being familiar with the concept. This gap between interest and understanding offers a clear signal: demand is evolving faster than consumer awareness.
It is not an uncommon pattern in developing categories. Consumers begin to value more advanced solutions — functional benefits, tailored diets, health-driven formulations — before fully understanding how those solutions are delivered or even defined.
In Mexico, this dynamic is unfolding within a market that still relies heavily on traditional formats. Dry food remains dominant, reaching 86% of households, while wet food has achieved 62% penetration, according to information provided by the company. At the same time, purchasing behavior spans multiple channels, from grocery retailers to specialized pet stores, reflecting both accessibility and fragmentation.
What emerges is a market in transition
Interest in more sophisticated nutrition is already present. Awareness, however, is still catching up. And that gap tends to shape the next phase of growth.
Within this context, investments such as the Querétaro facility can be interpreted as a response not only to current demand, but to anticipated demand — one that is likely to require more advanced formulation capabilities and faster innovation cycles.
Symrise, with around €5 billion in annual revenue and a strong presence in high-value ingredient systems, operates in segments where differentiation is driven by formulation rather than volume. Its recent expansion in Mexico aligns with broader trends in Latin America, where the company has reported sustained double-digit growth in its pet food business.
From intention to purchase: the gap that still defines the market
From an industry perspective, the implication is less about capacity and more about capability. But there is a second gap to consider. Stated interest does not always translate into purchase. What consumers say they want — particularly in emerging concepts like personalized nutrition — often diverges from what they choose at the shelf, where price and familiarity still dominate. How this gap between intention and decision evolves will ultimately define the real pace of premiumization in Mexico.
