Unlike other two-year-olds, Timtim loves broccoli and peas. She starts the day with two hard-boiled eggs, each stuffed with a broccoli floret. His dinner included a portion of boiled peas. “If my baby can’t see the vegetables, he won’t eat,” laughs Delhi-based software engineer Saurabh Khurana.
When Khurana, 35, adopted Timtim, a Retriever, from an animal shelter in 2022, she was clear that she wanted to feed him healthy, freshly cooked food. So, he wakes up at 5am and, with the help of his wife, prepares Timtim’s meal—a combination of chicken, rice and vegetables. But combined with office work, it’s a tiring drill.
SIMILAR STORIES
Early last year, Khurana began looking for brands that serve healthy pet food with “human grade” ingredients, or are made in accordance with regulations for ready-to-eat human food products . Today, Khurana depends on three platforms to deliver food for his dog—sometimes, it’s pork and lentils often, rice, chicken and vegetables, including peas The food resembles, even almost tastes, what what people eat.
“I have tasted all the food I ordered. It’s like what we eat, minus the salt and masala,” said Khurana, who spends ₹15,000 on pet food every month, about 10% higher than when she was cooking at home for Timtim. The dog seems to have adjusted well to “eating out.” “Why would he eat smelly, packaged food (referring to kibble), when I can give him food that feels like food and keeps him healthy?” said Khurana.
As millennials and Gen Zers rethink the idea of parenting, they’re willing to spend more time and effort to make sure their beloved pets eat healthy food, even if it means shelling out more money . Many startups and brands rely on this visceral urge. From gluten-free to vegan and vegetarian diets, the Indian market is slowly and steadily seeing the rise of pet food that seems less processed and, in some cases, more closely resembles human food. .
According to Statista, the 2024 pet food market revenue in India will reach $640 million (around ₹5,300 crore). It is expected to grow annually by 12.63%, reaching $1.03 billion over the next four years. Globally, the largest revenue is generated in the US (over $57 billion in 2023).
While there is no official data on the growth of “human-grade” pet food in India, a quick search online and in retail stores for customized and “holistic” options is enough to give an idea of how serious people are about the health of their pets. “Pet parenting is different from human parenting. When you’re a pet parent, you know that unless something untoward happens, you’ll outlive your pet,” says Ishmeet Singh Chandiok, a pet parent and chef who has done stints at Hyatt and JW Mariott .He is the founder of Harley’s Corner, a ready-to-eat premium dog food brand that claims to use human-grade ingredients and no preservatives to make the treats.
Among the dishes offered by Harley is Goulash ( ₹625 for 900g; to give an idea, a 30kg dog needs 360-450g a meal), a low-fat food consisting of a mixture of sorghum millet, pumpkin seeds, brewer’s yeast, sweet potato, chicken, brown rice, cod liver oil, wheat germ oil, vegetables, algae calcium and seaweed powder; and Wooferole ( ₹800 for 900gm), a “full dietary meal” that combines fish, brown rice, quinoa, pumpkin, algae calcium, and vegetables. My dog and I tried the Goulash. It looks and tastes like chicken khichdi, without salt and spices. My dog finished it in seconds.
“Just by changing the food, if I can make my dog live even one more year, it will be worth a lot,” Singh said. “This type of belief is driving interest in human-grade pet food, in addition to growing awareness in general around. well-being and what you eat and feed your pet.”
Human-grade pet food, simply put, means food that is suitable enough for human consumption. “People can eat it but it’s not recommended because pet food has added vitamins, minerals and supplements that are more suitable for animals,” says Shivangi Raina, a Bengaluru-based veterinarian.
“Companies follow the strictest rules and regulations when it comes to human food. So, when you say you’re offering humane pet food, it means there’s a reduced risk of contamination and better nutrients,” says Raina, who is the product executive manager at Drools Pet Food, a company that offers human-grade food with the claim that “real chicken, liver, and eggs keep them (dogs) active, while natural ingredients promote healthy skin and coat”.
A HUMAN LENS
Gone are the days when dogs were only seen as house guards and fed kitchen scraps and kibble made from leftover meats and anything from paws to fur.
“The pandemic may have accelerated the process (of the ‘humanization’ of animals), but this is something that started about a decade ago, when the functionality factor (dogs as house guards) shifted to the emotional factor. Animals are no longer just animals,” says Vineet Khanna, co-founder of Supertails, a pet care platform that offers everything from food and clothing to accessories and veterinary consultations .In 2022, Supertails launched its pet food brand, Henlo, which offers baked food with claims of “100% human-grade ingredients” and no using artificial preservatives, fillers or chemicals. “We follow a slow cooking process to ensure that the flavors and nutrients are well preserved,” says Khanna.
Delayed marriage, later childbearing, loneliness and increased stress levels are some of the reasons why more people are becoming pet parents, and “in many cases, this is their first major responsibility in life, so they want to ensure the best of everything for them,” says Khanna, while explaining the idea behind Henlo.
None of the brands—Harley’s Corner, Supertails and Drools—wanted to share revenue numbers, though they said they were in expansion mode. Henlo, for example, is adding more chicken items with flavors like pumpkin and pomegranate. Harley’s is looking to increase options for treats and other chewables. The brands said a large portion of the clientele is in the age group of 18-35 and from metro cities, with orders coming in from tier I and II cities like Coonoor, Shillong and Mysuru .
One of the gaps in the market that the Supertails team saw was that many people did not like the smell of packaged pet food. Khanna says they have taken this into account, so that the food tastes and smells good.
However, there are no rules when it comes to “human-grade” pet food. “In India, compliance with pet food standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards is voluntary,” says Salil Murthy, managing director, Mars Petcare, an 80-year-old American brand with an India presence of two decades. “There is a huge opportunity for us to work with government and industry colleagues to push these standards to become mandatory. It is very important to standardize certain nutrients and their amounts using scientific rationale. Standardization will prevent the spread of misleading information.”
For now, Khurana is happy to feed Timtim food that resembles the one on his own plate. “It’s not that I blindly follow what companies hire. I am doing my research and seeing the impact it has,” he says. “Timtim is our child. I know what’s best for him.”
