By Hsu Yuan-Chang, General Manager

Are you a pet lover who has noticed the rapid growth of the pet health food market in recent years? Have you ever thought about joining this booming industry? As pets gain more importance in people's lives, owners are increasingly eager to invest in high-quality food and supplements for their beloved companions. In this context, selling pet health foods is undoubtedly a new and emerging blue ocean.

However, standing out in the pet health food industry and successfully launching a popular product requires careful planning. From understanding the needs of your target market, complying with regulations, developing products, showcasing health benefits, to finally promoting your products, every step is a challenge. Whether you are a sole entrepreneur or an established brand, this article will guide you through the process of starting from scratch and gradually making your mark in the pet health food market.

I. Market Research and Analysis: Positioning Your Pet Health Brand

1. Conduct Thorough Market Research: Grasping the Pulse of Trends

Market research is the first step to successfully entering any market, and the pet health food market is no exception. Understanding the latest product trends is crucial, especially in today’s highly competitive pet market. In the initial stages, brand owners need to conduct comprehensive and in-depth market research to understand market size, growth trends, including the characteristics of major competitors, pricing strategies, and marketing techniques. It’s advisable for brand owners to align their resources and determine the type of health products they want to offer and the distribution channels they plan to use. Gaining a stronghold in a specific category of pet health food can greatly influence pet owners’ purchasing decisions.

2. Identifying Target Customer Groups: Through Pet Owner Types, Income Levels, etc.

Pet owners come from a diverse demographic, ranging from young individuals to elderly seniors, from modest to affluent households. Their preferences for pet types and health needs vary greatly. Therefore, besides understanding the overall market landscape, it’s more crucial to clarify your target customer group. Brand owners should first segment the customer base and identify the characteristics of their target audience, including age, gender, income level, and pet types. Once the target market is identified, products can be customized for them. For instance, targeting high-income households aged 35-45 who own cats and dogs or focusing on niche markets such as pets with special needs or senior pets.

3. Study Product Trends: Popular Ingredients and Packaging Demands

Brand owners also need to closely monitor pet owners’ needs and preferences regarding pet health foods. For example, owners may be more concerned about whether the ingredients are natural, the safety of additives, and the convenience of packaging. Therefore, brand owners need to adjust product formulas, packaging, and marketing strategies based on market demand to meet consumer needs and enhance product competitiveness.

II. Regulatory Compliance and Product Registration for Pet Health Brands
Ensure Product Compliance: Understanding Regulatory Requirements and Submitting Application Documents

Before entering the pet health food market, brands need to ensure everything is legal and compliant. This includes establishing a company, obtaining relevant business licenses, and registering products. In Taiwan, the governing authority for pet health products and food is the "Ministry of Agriculture (Council of Agriculture)."

1. Pet Health Food Registration:

Whether importing, processing, or manufacturing pet food, registration as a pet food business must be done either in the name of the company or an individual. For those only engaged in sales, it is essential to ensure that product packaging complies with labeling regulations and that advertising claims are not exaggerated or misleading. According to Taiwanese regulations, products should be registered with the Council of Agriculture within 30 days of their initial production, processing, or importation. The registration should include details such as product name, net weight, capacity, primary ingredients, and nutritional content. Failure to comply with the registration requirements can result in fines ranging from $3,000 to $15,000. Does this process seem complicated? Don’t worry, at FUE-PET’s second plant, we handle product registration for our clients!

2. Product Testing and Certification:

Pet health products must undergo appropriate testing and certification to ensure their safety and quality. This includes tests for ingredient analysis, microbial testing, and heavy metal testing, typically conducted by qualified third-party testing agencies. Common testing items include:

Pesticide residue inspection, heavy metal inspection, aflatoxin inspection...etc.

3. Product Labeling and Instructions:

Product labeling and instructions are a crucial part of the registration process, including the product name, ingredients, usage instructions, and precautions. This information needs to be clearly and accurately presented on the product label. Our team of nutritionists assists clients by providing complete nutritional labeling, ensuring comprehensive information for product registration. For detailed information, you can refer to the Pet Food Registration website.

III.  Pet Health Product Development
1. Collaborating with Leading Pet Health Manufacturers to Create Top-notch Products

Choosing the right OEM partner is key. A good OEM manufacturer must have a top-notch R&D team, advanced production equipment, and extensive industry experience and expertise. FUE-PET's second plant is set up to provide end-to-end services from raw material selection, formula design, to mass production. Our stringent quality control ensures food safety and hygiene, helping you sell with peace of mind.

2. Unique Formula Design: Meeting Pet Owners' Needs with Attention to Detail

Brand owners need to determine the product formula based on market research results and consumer needs, which is crucial for enhancing product competitiveness. When it comes to product development, you can confidently rely on us. Whether targeting nutritional supplements for lactating dogs or designing gut health formulas for senior cats, our team of expert nutritionists follows the latest nutritional research to tailor-make the most suitable formulas for your target audience. We prioritize not only the palatability of your product but also its nutritional value and safety, ensuring your brand offers the most popular star products.

3. Packaging Design and Labeling Standards

In the pet health food industry, adhering to packaging design and labeling standards is critical. This not only ensures the product's legality and safety but also increases its appeal and competitiveness. Here’s our take on packaging design and labeling standards:

- Adherence to Relevant Regulations:
Like general food products, pet food brands must comply with relevant regulatory requirements when designing packaging, including the safety of packaging materials and the accuracy of labeling content, such as the ingredients, formulas, and expiration dates of pet health foods.

- Attracting Consumer Attention:
Packaging design should be eye-catching, enabling products to stand out on shelves or in online searches and clearly communicate the product's features and benefits. Visually, you can choose suitable packaging materials (box or can), and attractive packaging designs, such as bold color schemes or anthropomorphic pet IPs, to capture consumer attention.

- Pet Food Advertising Regulations:
Many brands add prominent product features or eye-catching marketing slogans on the packaging. However, it is important to note that the government has set rules for pet food advertising. According to the "Principles for Identifying Misleading or Exaggerated Advertising in Pet Food Labeling," product labeling, promotion, or advertising must not contain false or exaggerated information. For detailed information, please refer to our previous article: "A Must-Read for Brand Owners: Marketing and Legal Advertising Strategies for Pet Health Foods."

IV. Marketing and Sales Strategies for Pet Health Products

1. Where to Sell Pet Health Foods? Choosing Online and Offline Sales Channels

Establishing effective marketing and sales strategies is crucial to successfully entering the market. Where should your products be sold? This is something that needs careful consideration from the start. Companies should formulate appropriate marketing plans based on market research results and select suitable online and offline sales channels. Online, companies can sell products on e-commerce platforms such as their own websites, Shopee, MOMO, and Facebook groups, using online advertising and search engine optimization to increase product visibility. Offline, products can be sold through pet stores, veterinary clinics, and by participating in pet exhibitions and organizing promotional activities to attract pet owners’ attention.

2. Building a Memorable Brand Story and Product Certification

The pet health market is characterized by rapid growth, intense competition, and constant change. Consumer demands and preferences are ever-evolving, especially with many new products and brands launching in recent years, continually enticing pet owners to switch. Planning effective and engaging content marketing to attract and retain consumers has become crucial to a brand’s longevity.

One key to building trust is through a compelling brand story and genuine feedback. The most common method today is using word-of-mouth marketing and social media to boost product awareness and credibility. For example, inviting pet experts and veterinarians to endorse products and sharing consumer reviews and feedback on social media can further enhance product reputation and trustworthiness. This ensures that pet owners not only trust your brand and products but also become loyal fans.

V. Interested in Developing Pet Health Supplements? Free Consultation with Development Advisors

Successfully entering the pet health food market requires a company to possess multiple competencies, including an in-depth understanding of the market, regulatory compliance, product development capabilities, and marketing strategies. Only by being well-prepared in all these aspects can you stand out in a highly competitive market. The FUE-PET team has already assisted numerous domestic and international brands in successfully launching their products, with ISO22000, HACCP, and other international certifications. We welcome brand owners who are interested in expanding into the pet health industry to contact us, so we can work together to develop high-quality products and achieve long-term success.