An optimistic look into the future

At present, the pet food category is among the fastest-growing segments of the entire Latvian food market, the main growth drivers being local pet owners and their growing understanding of the needs of pets. In general, the end of the Covid-19 pandemic provided impetus for growth in the Latvian pet food sector. According to preliminary data for 2023, this sector experienced an increase of around 10 per cent on a year-on-year basis. Most local analysts expect the market will continue to grow this year, while its current dynamic remains positive.  

According to experts at the Latvian business paper Santa LV, treats, snacks and wet food in packets currently feature among the promising segments of the market. In addition, there is an ever-growing demand for premium pet food in the Latvian market, as many pet owners in Latvia are ready to spend more on the purchase of high-quality products. The Latvian pet food sector has traditionally fallen within the sphere of interest of global majors, many of which have significantly strengthened their position in the local market in recent years. One example of this is Mars, one of the leaders in the Latvian pet food sector and the entire Baltic region, which plans to continue its expansion in the Latvian pet food market this year. As Mindaugas Gut­auskas, Mars general manager in the Baltic states, said in an interview, the company pays considerable attention to the issues of innovation and sustainability. Gutauskas comments: “Overall, Mars is continuing to drive innovation and giving pet parents the chance to make sustainable choices, while taking ambitious steps to reduce our carbon footprint and redesigning our packaging for circularity. Last year, therefore, we continued striving to become more environmentally friendly – for instance, we improved our Whiskas brand.”

In 2023, Mars Latvia implemented several different product launches and campaigns in Latvia covering both cat and dog food segments. In the cat food category, the company continued to build awareness of the importance of the science proposition with its brand Perfect Fit. In this regard, Mars started to offer improved recipes of Perfect Fit products and Mars Latvia represented the brand at Pet Expo Latvia.