Aternative, Fresh Pet Food Sales Booming
Retail sales of alternative pet food - including raw, frozen, organic pet food, holistic and natural - are growing at a significantly faster rate than the market as a whole in the US and Canada, according to Packaged Facts. The research firm said the key driver of growth between 2003 and 2007 was the increasing belief among consumers that better quality foods offer health benefits for their pets. Packaged Facts estimates that the fresh food market, which was worth US$169 million in retail sales last year, will continue to grow. The analyst forecasted that the market would increase by 23% by 2012. According to the report, Fresh Pet Food in North America: The Raw/Frozen, Refrigerated and Homemade Wave, the fastest growing sector of the alternative pet food market is organic food. Last year the sector recorded a 48% jump in retail sales compared with 2003. Last year, organic food sales aacounted for just 6% of total petfood sales, but its growth rate was far greater than the market as a whole, which is steadily increasing at 5% or 6%. Retail sales of fresh pet food rocketed 38% between 2003 and 2007. According to Packaged Facts, the frozen market, which was dominated by Bil-Jac and had remained stagnant with a market share value of US$3 million since 2003, more than doubled last year when Fresh Pet entered the market, driving category growth.
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