The year 2020 saw a significant increase in spending on pet care food products in the UK, as pet parents spent more time at home with their furry companions.
Household brands such as Pedigree and Dreamies’ revenue continued to grow, along with Armitage’s Good Boy treat brand which saw its biggest growth during 2020, adding £12.7m.
Not only did people spend more money on their pets, 2020 was also home to various M&A’s, with Nestlé purchasing Lily’s Kitchen back in April 2020. In conjunction with this, Armitage Pet Care was bought for £140m by Spectrum Brands as well as Skinner’s (the dry dog food specialists), bagging a majority stake in Naturediet.
Despite some significant increase in grocery spending and an array of notable mergers and acquisitions, overall volume sales have continued to decline and with online shopping’s popularity continuing to increase – brands are having to quickly adapt to stay up to date with consumer behaviour.
The Smylies team has compiled the top 10 pet care brands in 2020 according to a report by The Grocer.
Leading the pack is the UK’s number 1 pet food brand, Felix, manufactured by Nestlé Purina. Felix’s revenues decreased by 0.9 percent in 2020, reaching £241.4 million. Nonetheless, the brand has continued to maintain its position at the top of the list.
Their notable brand mascot, Felix the cat, continued to be centre stage of their 2020 campaigns. Capitalising on the brand’s 2017 #uptomischief campaign, Felix worked with Facebook to create an AR campaign that displayed Felix the cat acting mischievously in work-from home situations in a bid to resonate with their audience.
At number 2, Pedigree made a total of £174.7m in sales during 2020, a growth increase of 1.1%. The brand has continued to perform well throughout their product lines, with the brand’s Any Pedigree Chum, coming out as it’s best performer. Pedigree Markies have also proved to be a popular choice for dog owners in the UK during 2020 according to a report by Statista.
Producing cat food since 1958 and another Mars Petcare brand in the top 10 pet care brands is Whiskas, who’s revenue increased by 3.9% – totalling £163.2m in value during 2020. The brand produces cat food specific to the age of the animal, providing it with a comprehensive product line suitable for all stages of a feline pet’s life, so it’s no surprise consumers are keen to make Whiskas their brand of choice.
Nestlé Purina’s indulgent cat food brand Gourmet, boasts a positive sales percentage growth of 1.6% during 2020, as sales reached £89.7. The luxury pet food brand focuses on providing pet food that is prepared to the highest standards, something which consumers were clearly keen to invest in for their feline friends.
Pet food brand Good Boy, performed particularly well during 2020 with a whopping growth increase of 18.3%, as their total net sales in 2020 soared to £82.3m. As previously mentioned, the brand’s manufacturer Armitage Pet Care was purchased by Spectrum Brands, allowing Good Boy to thrive, as it continued to produce leading pet food and treats.
As new pet owners joined the pet care consumer industry – Sheba, manufactured by Mars Petcare, raked in a total of £76.9m in sales throughout 2020, a percentage growth of 1.6%. Accounting for £2.5m retail sales in 2020 (according to Nielsen RMS Cat Main Meals, Total Coverage) was the three Sheba Fine Flakes in Gravy range.
Nestlé Purina’s well established dry dog food brand Baker’s, has taken a decline in revenue during 2020 with a drop in growth of – 1.2%, as sales totalled £72.2m. However, despite a loss of around 700 thousand consumers throughout the year, Bakers still remains the most popular dedicated dry dog food brand in the UK.
Pet food brand Butcher’s revenue for 2020 rounded up at £61.7. The brand has a keen focus on natural ingredients that have a strong nutritional value, this ethos has certainly had a seal of approval from British consumers, as Butcher’s sales grew by 12.9% in 2020.
Combined sales for Harringtons in 2020 were up at £54.1 million, an increase of 6% throughout the year. The brand is the only one of manufacturer, Inspired Pet Nutrition’s brands to reach the top 10. Boasting 100% natural ingredients and approval from veterinarians, it’s no surprise that Harringtons has bagged a spot in the top 10.
Finally, at number 10 is Purina One, manufactured by Nestlé Purina. The well-known cat food brand has had a revenue growth of 6.4%, as sales reached £44.2m. Whilst this brand ranks lower on the list, it still managed to achieve a healthy percentage of growth during what was a turbulent year for a lot of grocery brands.
Thanks to the seamless export service provided by the Smylies team, pet food brands are ready for export. Check out the Smylies Shop to ensure you stock all the latest must have pet care brands.
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