“There has been a significant increase in demand for gourmet pet food. Pet owners are treating their furry friends like family, since they have more disposable income to spend on their beloved wards. People are becoming savvier about pet nutrition, and look for high-quality ingredients,” explains Dr Shashank Sinha, CEO, Drools Pet food, a company that prides itself on making real, clean pet food which includes vegetarian, non-vegetarian and vegan options. This shift can be accredited to the rise of smaller nuclear families where pets are viewed as valued members, leading to a shift in mindset in pet parenting. “Millennials, are at the forefront of this trend, and are spoiling their furry companions with premium pet products and services,” he reveals.
On Raksha Bandhan day last year, Rani Singh was seized with the desire to pamper her golden lab bro Scotch. She ordered special treats from Paw Petisserie, an exclusive pet bakery. The order included customised edible Rakhi cookies made with peanut butter, which Scotch absolutely adores. They came with special Rakhi-themed decorations, making the memory extra special for Singh. Once Scotch had polished off every last tasty cookie, Singh gushed, “This was the ‘bestest’ Raksha Bandhan ever.”
Yashika Arora, the founder-CEO of Paw Petisserie, believes the outlet’s popularity is because everything is made with pet-safe ingredients. Patrons choose from exotic delights like chicken or mutton ice-cream, different flavours of jams, doughnuts, brownies, breads and salami. However, their most sought-after items are their chicken jerky and mutton chips. “Universally popular ingredients are chicken, peanut butter, yogurt and mutton. Pet parents love our products because everything is human-grade. Even the colours used as decorations for cakes and cupcakes are made from fruits and vegetables,” she shares.
