Hopes focused on the Asian market

Although there is a lack of reliable data supporting this trend because of the limited size of the category, the degree of unanimity among leading suppliers of small animal products that Asia is the market of the future is striking. Japan, South Korea and Malaysia in particular are cited as up-and-coming markets, along with Indonesia and India. Chinchillas are reported to be especially in demand in these countries alongside the "classic" small pets.The market for small animal products is still in its infancy in most Asian countries. This was also true of dog and cat products around 20 years ago, however, and now these markets are showing strong growth. The small animal segment will also benefit from the fact that more and more people in Asia can learn about these pets via the Internet and social media. This includes finding out which products and brands are required for this hobby. Regular visits to international shows are helping to ensure that international trends can catch on relatively quickly even in emerging markets.Trend towards premiumIn the USA and Europe, small animals have long been an established segment of the pet market. This doesn't mean, however, that there is not still much that can be done to emulate the professionalism of the dog and cat market, at least to some extent. Germany and the Benelux states are currently among the most developed markets for small animal products. Globally active manufacturers like Vitakraft, Versele Laga, JR Farm, Benelux and Bunny Tierernährung - to name but a few - are based in these countries and export their products worldwide.These companies have made a significant contribution to stimulating the small animal market and increasing its professionalism with their natural, breed-specific nutrition concepts oriented to the life cycle of the animals. The variety of products has increased steadily in recent years, even in the case of treats, straw and hay. Since very high profit margins can be achieved with these products compared with dog and cat food, the demand in the trade has also grown over the years.Eastern Europe in the ascendantIn Germany, where the number of small animals is on a par with the dog population according to official market figures, sales of food products above all have gone down in recent years. This is not the case in the Benelux countries, England and Scandinavia, where sales of small animal products are still showing modest growth.Strong growth is expected in the next few years in…