Pet ownership in India is soaring, and the country’s biggest disruptor has officially entered the arena.
Reliance Industries’ consumer products arm has launched Waggies, a pet food brand priced at roughly half of what established rivals charge.
It is a classic move from the “Jio playbook”—shaking up a high-potential market with aggressive pricing and massive scale.
In a new feature by Bloomberg, Arvind Singhal, Chairman of The Knowledge Company, provides expert analysis on what this entry means for the $2.4 billion local pet food business.
The Indian market is currently dominated by global heavyweights like Mars Inc. (Pedigree, Whiskas) and Nestlé (Purina), alongside a vibrant ecosystem of startups like Heads Up For Tails and Drools.
However, Reliance’s entry changes the calculus.
Arvind Singhal highlights that Reliance’s distribution moat—spanning mom-and-pop stores, superstores, and quick-commerce apps—will help it gain scale rapidly.
But interestingly, he predicts the immediate impact will be felt most acutely by the emerging players rather than the global incumbents.
“Waggies might not snatch market share from the giants just yet, but it has the potential to hurt startups. This is one category ripe for disruption.”
— Arvind Singhal, Chairman, The Knowledge Company
Why is the pet sector exploding now? It isn’t just a fad; it’s a structural shift in Indian society. In his conversation with Bloomberg, Arvind Singhal points to fundamental demographic changes:
According to the IMARC Group, India’s pet food business is set to nearly double from $2.4 billion to $4.6 billion by 2033.
With the government envisioning India as a global leader and exporter of premium pet products, the sector is entering a phase of hyper-competition.
As Godrej Consumer Products enters the fray with its brand Ninja and Reliance doubles down on affordability with Waggies, the battle for the Indian pet parent’s wallet has only just begun.
Read the full report in Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-12-02/m-a-frenzy-in-banking-sector-to-persist-reliance-moves-into-pet-food-space
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 Bloomberg aligns with TKC’s ongoing work in:
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