Nestlé’s Purina PetCare sustained momentum as cat nutrition outpaced dog

SWITZERLAND -Nestlé’s Purina PetCare showed signs of stabilisation in 2025, with cat nutrition emerging as the company’s strongest growth driver despite overall softness in dog food and supplements, helping the business offset declines and maintain momentum in a challenging market.

Fourth-quarter PetCare sales reached CHF 4.8 billion (US$6.2 billion), compared to CHF 4.9 billion (US$6.3 billion) in the prior-year period, reflecting a 1.6% reported decline. However, organic growth stood at 5.3%, supported by real internal growth (RIG) of 5.4%, while pricing was slightly negative at -0.1%.

“PetCare continues to normalise with softness in dog balanced by resilience in cat, and we see growth gradually accelerating as capacity improves and pricing steadies,” said Anna Manz, chief financial officer at Nestlé. She noted that the fourth quarter benefited from additional capacity in the United States and from some pre-price-increase buying.

For the full year, PetCare sales totalled CHF 18.4 billion (US$23.7 billion), down 2.9% from CHF 18.9 billion (US$24.4 billion) in 2024. The segment accounted for 21% of Nestlé’s total group sales. Organic growth was 2.2%, improving in the second half of the year. RIG reached 2.6%, while pricing declined 0.4%.

Cat nutrition remained Nestlé’s largest PetCare category, ahead of dog nutrition, therapeutics and supplements. Growth was driven primarily by wet and dry cat food, partly offset by weakness in dry dog food. Market share increased globally, led by Europe.

Regional breakdown

In Zone Americas, sales declined 4.5% to CHF 34.5 billion, though pet care delivered solid growth, led by wet cat food in the US. In Europe, sales rose 2.7% to CHF 17.6 billion, with pet care delivering mid-single-digit growth, supported by brands including Felix, Pro Plan, Gourmet and Purina ONE.

In Zones Asia, Oceania, and Africa, sales declined 2.6% to CHF 20.6 billion, with negative pet care growth driven by inventory corrections in Greater China and category softness in developed markets.

At the group level, fourth-quarter sales totalled CHF 23.6 billion, down 2.6%, with organic growth of 4%. Full-year sales reached CHF 89.5 billion, a 2.1% decrease year-over-year. Gross profit stood at CHF 40.8 billion, with margin declining 110 basis points to 45.6%.

Nestlé delivered CHF 1.1 billion in savings in 2025 under its Fuel for Growth program, exceeding its annual target and contributing to a UTOP margin of 16.1% and free cash flow of CHF 9.2 billion.

Chief executive officer Philipp Navratil said the company is accelerating its strategy by focusing on core businesses, increasing marketing and innovation investments, and prioritising high-potential growth platforms, which represent 30% of sales.

Looking ahead to 2026, Nestlé expects organic growth of 3% to 4%, an improvement in the underlying trade operating profit margin, and free cash flow above CHF 9 billion.

The company anticipates continued momentum in pet care, particularly in premium cat nutrition, supported by long-term trends in pet humanisation. As pet humanisation rises, demand for higher-quality, specialised and science-backed nutrition, especially in cat food, is expected to remain resilient even in a cautious consumer environment.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.