Ambani Set to Shake Up Pet Food Market: Reliance Plans to Undercut Nestlé, Godrej, Emami With 50% Lower Prices

New Delhi:
India’s booming pet food industry is gearing up for a major shake-up as Reliance Industries, led by Asia’s richest businessman Mukesh Ambani, prepares to aggressively enter the market. The company’s consumer arm, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), is planning to sell its pet food brand Waggies at prices 20–50% lower than established players such as Nestlé, Mars, Godrej Consumer Products and Emami.

According to an ET report, Reliance has communicated this pricing strategy to its distributors and trade partners, signalling an approach similar to the one it used to disrupt India’s cola market.

Reliance Targets Mass Market, Smaller Cities

A senior official familiar with the development said that Reliance’s pet food range will be pushed deeply into general retail stores, including Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, ensuring wide accessibility. RCPL has not officially commented on the matter.

Currently, Reliance offers soft drinks, juices, water, energy drinks and daily-use products at 20–40% lower prices, forcing competitors to introduce special offers, increase dealer margins or launch smaller affordable packs.
Despite its aggressive pricing, none of RCPL’s consumer brands have yet achieved nationwide penetration.

Eye on 600 Million Consumers

In an interview in June, RCPL Director T. Krishnakumar, formerly the head of Coca-Cola India, stated that the company aims to make its entire consumer portfolio available across India by March 2027.
He highlighted that RCPL’s long-term strategy focuses on reaching 600 million mass-market consumers, working closely with neighbourhood kirana stores and offering competitive margins to retailers.

India’s Pet Care Market to Hit $7 Billion by 2028

A report by Redseer Strategy Consultants estimates that India’s pet care market will double from $3.5 billion to $7 billion by 2028.
The number of pets in India has surged from 26 million in 2019 to 32 million in 2024, driving massive demand for pet food and accessories.

Leading brands in the segment include Pedigree, Purina, Supertails, Royal Canin, along with fast-growing Indian startups such as Heads Up For Tails and Drools.