Brazilian pet food manufacturers boast more than 400 pet food production sites nationwide and make up the second-largest global pet food market after that of the United States.
Nestle Purina ranks fifth among pet food producers in Brazil with two production facilities, but falls to 10th when measured against other major firms by production capacity, according to Triplethree International report. Premier Pet and BRF Pet are the two top dog brands here.
Nestle Purina announced in December 2021 the construction of a new production facility in Florestal, Vargeao in Santa Catarina State’s southern region, Brazil. Nestle expects completion by mid 2023 and operations to commence by March 2024.
Purina Vargeao plans on focusing on wet food first with an estimated production capacity of 30,000 metric tons annually; such an investment would position Nestle Purina as the third-biggest domestic pet food producer according to Triplethree rankings of Brazilian pet food producers.
Notably, nearly half of Brazil’s market leaders currently participate in wet food sales while others primarily sell dry food and treats. Purina may use this advantage to market wet pet food products locally while still serving international markets through their new facility.
Brazilian Pet Food Market Its Brazil, as the second-largest market worldwide, is an innovator of pet food innovation in Latin America. A significant proportion of its 400 pet food companies include startups with groundbreaking pet foods featuring natural or human grade ingredients in pet food formulations.
Brazilian pet owners tend to favor innovative pet food alternatives over regular wet pet food products. Some successful startups in Brazil include Mascote Fit, Simple Dog and Natoo as well as several regional firms of smaller scale.