Bangalore, April 6, 2026: In a significant move set to reshape India’s pet nutrition landscape, Drools, one of the country’s fastest-growing pet food companies with a growing global footprint, has announced its entry into the fresh pet food segment through a strategic collaboration with Tetra Pak, alongside an investment of ₹180 crore in advanced processing and packaging infrastructure. With this, Drools becomes the first pet food brand in Asia to introduce fresh pet food in Tetra Recart® packaging, bringing together large-scale manufacturing, global packaging technology, and a new format of pet nutrition to the Indian market.
The launch marks a structural shift in how pet food is being developed and consumed in India. As pet ownership rises and “pet humanisation” continues to influence buying behaviour, consumers are looking for unique solutions for their pets. India’s pet food market, currently estimated at US$700–900 million, is growing at a strong 11–16% CAGR1, with premium and specialised nutrition emerging as the fastest-growing segments. Fresh pet food, while still nascent in India, represents the next phase of this evolution by bridging the gap between convenience and “home-style” nutrition. The fresh pet food range will be available pan-India in the following variants and pack sizes:
- Real Chicken & Vegetables
- Real Chicken & Turkey
- Real Chicken & Pumpkin
- Real Chicken Biryani
- Pack sizes: 150g and 350g
Speaking about this industry-first innovation, Fahim Sultan, Founder, Drools Pet Food Pvt. Ltd., said, “India’s pet food market is at an inflection point, with consumers actively seeking better, fresher, and more transparent nutrition for their pets. At Drools, we have always believed in building the category ahead of demand. Our investment and collaboration with Tetra Pak allow us to bring global advancements in food processing and packaging to India, making fresh pet food both accessible and scalable. This is not just a product innovation—it is a step towards redefining pet nutrition in the country.”
By introducing a fresh food range made with real ingredients, free from preservatives, and requiring no refrigeration before opening, Drools is effectively expanding the category beyond traditional dry and wet formats. Enabled by Tetra Pak’s advanced retorting and aseptic packaging technologies, the offering ensures safety, shelf stability, and nutrient retention—while also removing the need for cold-chain logistics, a key barrier to scaling fresh food formats in India.
The collaboration also signals a shift in how packaging is being leveraged within the category, not merely as a delivery format, but as a strategic enabler of accessibility, sustainability, and scale. Tetra Recart® cartons provide multi-layer protection against air and light, extend shelf life without need for preservatives, and deliver a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to conventional metal cans, while remaining lightweight and easy to store and dispose.
Cassio Simões, Managing Director, South Asia Markets, Tetra Pak, added: “The evolution of pet nutrition in India reflects a broader shift towards quality, safety, and sustainability. Our collaboration with Drools demonstrates how advanced processing and packaging technologies can unlock entirely new categories by combining the benefits of fresh nutrition with convenience and scalability. We believe this innovation will play a key role in shaping the future of the pet food industry in India.”
Sanjiv Mehta, Executive Chairman, L Catterton India and Former Chairman / CEO, Hindustan Unilever Limited, said, “This collaboration is a strong reflection of forward-thinking leadership—one that embraces sustainability, technology, and innovation as core pillars of growth. It aligns seamlessly with the needs of the future and positions Drools ahead of the curve, setting new benchmarks for progressive thinking in the industry.”
With this launch, Drools is not only strengthening its innovation pipeline but also reinforcing its position as a category pioneer, one that has consistently expanded the boundaries of pet nutrition in India while building capabilities that align with global standards. Backed by L Catterton and Nestlé S.A., Drools has steadily scaled its presence across domestic and international markets. The company’s product development is driven by a team of veterinarians and nutrition experts, and it has been at the forefront of introducing new formats and innovations within India’s pet food category — well ahead of market maturity.
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