As the so-called "pet humanization" trend of treating companion animals like family spreads in Korea, global corporations are entering the pet supplement market.
H&H Group, a wellness corporation listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, recently launched the pet supplement brand Zesty Paws in Korea.
Nick Mann, global CEO of H&H Group, who visited Korea for the Zesty Paws launch event held on the 17th at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, said, "We are pioneering the market for Zesty Paws by leveraging H&H Group's global network," and noted, "After North America, we entered Europe, and this time we are launching in Korea and Australia simultaneously." Mann also expressed his ambition, saying, "We will become the No. 1 pet supplement brand in Korea."
CEO Nick Mann cited the fast pace of adopting innovation and the pet humanization culture as reasons for choosing the Korean market.
Mann said, "Korea's pet food and supplement market is around fourth to fifth in the world in size, and the culture of treating companion animals like family is strong," adding, "It is a market that aligns well with Zesty Paws' technology and branding."
The number of households raising companion animals in Korea is steadily increasing. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the share of households keeping companion animals last year was 28.6%, the highest since related statistics began in 2010. The total number of companion dogs and cats is estimated at 7.46 million.
Samjong KPMG Economic Research Institute projected that Korea's pet market will expand from 8.5 trillion won in 2024 to 21 trillion won in 2032.
Zesty Paws is a brand launched in 2015 in Florida, United States, and has grown into a top player in the North American online pet supplement market. H&H Group broadened its business into the companion animal field in 2021 by acquiring Zesty Paws, following its adult and infant health functional foods business. The company will first build a distribution network centered on online channels and then expand into specialized offline channels such as grooming shops.
Zesty Paws has pursued differentiation in the North American market with soft chew supplements. CEO Nick Mann said, "Many existing pet supplements had hard formulations, which reduced ease of intake," adding, "By introducing a soft formulation, preference among guardians was high." The products are manufactured in human grade facilities in Australia.
H&H Group also plans to apply experience-based marketing centered on sampling in Korea. The company said that in the North American market, direct trials led to a high repurchase rate, which significantly increased the number of reviews on online platforms such as Amazon.
CEO Nick Mann projected that "demand for supplements will increase along with the aging of companion animals." H&H Group plans to expand its pet supplement lineup based on the research and manufacturing capabilities secured through its own health functional food brand Swisse.