Wipro’s ‘HappyFur’ and the New Pet Food Wars: Arvind Singhal on Market Disruption
The Indian pet care market is undergoing a seismic shift. Once dominated by global majors like
Mars (Pedigree) and
Royal Canin, and recently disrupted by D2C startups, the sector is now attracting India’s heaviest corporate hitters.
As reported by
Livemint,
Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting is set to enter the market with a new brand,
‘HappyFur’, within the next 6-12 months.
This follows closely on the heels of Reliance Consumer Products rolling out its budget-friendly ‘Waggies’ brand.
We are proud to highlight that
Arvind Singhal, Chairman and Managing Director of The Knowledge Company, contributed his industry analysis to this significant industry development.
“Distribution is King”: The Conglomerate Advantage
The entry of Wipro and Reliance signals that pet food is transitioning from a niche, discretionary category to a mass-market FMCG battleground.
According to the IMARC Group, the sector is a $2.4 billion market expanding at over 15% annually.
In the Livemint report, Arvind cuts through the noise to identify the decisive factor in this new phase of competition: Supply Chain Power.
“The entry of the big boys changes everything. In an FMCG category like pet food, distribution is king – and companies like Reliance and Wipro have reach and brand muscle that startups simply cannot match.” — Arvind Singhal, Chairman & MD, The Knowledge Company
While startups have driven innovation and premiumization, conglomerates possess the ability to penetrate general trade and smaller towns, potentially converting the vast 90% of households that still feed pets home-cooked meals into consumers of packaged nutrition.
Strategic Bets: From VC to Mass Market
Wipro’s move is a calculated escalation. Earlier this year, its venture capital arm, Wipro Consumer Care Ventures, invested in the digital-first brand Goofy Tails.
This investment served as a crucial market test, allowing Wipro to assess consumer behavior and product gaps before committing to the full-scale launch of ‘HappyFur’.
Similarly, Reliance is playing a disruption game with ‘Waggies’, pricing its products roughly 20–50% cheaper than global rivals, mirroring its successful playbooks in telecom (Jio) and soft drinks (Campa).
The Road Ahead: Consolidation and Growth
With Nestlé increasing its stake in Drools and global players doubling down on India, the market is set for intense competition.
Arvind Singhal’s analysis suggests that while product differentiation remains important, the ability to place products on shelves across India’s vast retail landscape will determine the ultimate winners.
https://www.livemint.com/companies/wipro-pet-food-market-happyfur-nestl-reliance-drools-fmcg-consumers-brands-goofy-tails-11764039129929.html
Supporting Strategic Retail Transformation
Arvind Singhal’s contribution to this discussion exemplifies TKC’s role as a trusted advisor to businesses navigating complex market entries and competitive shifts.
Whether it’s evaluating new category entry, analyzing distribution models, or assessing competitive landscapes in FMCG, our insights are built on decades of experience and real-world data.
We work closely with clients to evaluate emerging categories through a multi-lens approach, consumer behaviour, infrastructure, margin potential, and operational scalability.
As the retail ecosystem evolves rapidly, our role is to balance ambition with execution reality.
This feature in Livemint aligns with TKC’s ongoing work in:
Market Entry Strategy for FMCG & Consumer Durables
Competitive Intelligence and Benchmarking
Distribution Network Optimization
Private Label Strategy for High-Growth Categories
At TKC, we believe the future of retail will be built on precision, adaptability, and consumer-first thinking, not just speed.
Need help assessing a new category or go-to-market model?
Reach out to TKC for tailored, forward-looking consulting across food retail, e-commerce, broader retail transformation, and consumer strategy.
