Thailand’s pet food industry has expanded rapidly in recent years and is drawing increasing attention in global markets. Several factors have accelerated this growth, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the worldwide rise of “pet humanization.” In this article, we focus on Thailand’s pet food industry—explaining the drivers behind its growth, the current landscape, and the outlook for the future.
Why Thailand’s Pet Food Industry Expanded
Increased time at home due to COVID-19
The increase in time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on higher pet ownership rates. As people stayed home more, many chose to keep pets to reduce loneliness and relieve stress.
Pets provide affection and comfort, and it has been scientifically recognized that they support owners’ mental and physical well-being. During periods of remote work and movement restrictions, pets were widely seen as an important source of emotional support, which contributed to the rise in pet ownership.
In addition, spending more time at home gave people more time to care for and train their pets. Many who previously struggled to devote enough time to pet care due to busy schedules were able to build richer routines with their pets through remote work and stay-at-home measures.
In this way, increased pet ownership during the pandemic contributed to the development of Thailand’s pet food industry.
An aging society
Thailand’s population is also aging, and this is considered one of the reasons the pet food industry is expanding. Because pets are known to provide comfort and help support seniors’ physical and mental health, they are seen as a way to ease social isolation and reduce monotony in daily life.
In some cases, older adults may experience fewer opportunities to interact with family or friends, and pets can become their closest companions. As a result, an aging society is believed to contribute to rising pet ownership—and, in turn, to the growth of the pet food industry.
In addition, more couples and single individuals are choosing to keep pets instead of having children, which has also increased overall spending on pets.
Rising global demand for pet food
Thailand’s pet food industry growth is also supported by rising global demand. As pet ownership increases worldwide, more owners recognize the importance of proper nutrition and health management—driving rapid expansion in pet food demand.
Demand for higher-quality products is growing as well. Many owners, thinking about their dogs’ and cats’ health (pet humanization), are increasingly choosing premium pet food. In response to this expanding demand, Thailand’s pet food industry has grown quickly.
Thailand leverages abundant agricultural resources and labor to produce high-quality pet food and supply global markets. According to the Thai Pet Food Trade Association (TPFA), 95% of raw materials used in Thailand’s pet food are sourced locally—further supporting the country’s production strength and its success in the global pet food industry.
The Export Market: Current Status and Outlook
The world’s 3rd-largest pet food exporter
According to the International Trade Centre, Thailand is already the largest pet food exporter in Asia. Export value in 2021 reached USD 2.05 billion—an 81% increase compared with 2017. As a result, Thailand ranked third in the world by export value in 2021, following Germany (USD 2.66 billion) and the United States (USD 2.07 billion).
However, considering Thailand’s total export value in 2021 was approximately USD 267.5 billion, pet food exports account for only 0.77% of the total. This suggests there is significant potential for Thailand’s pet food export market to expand further over the next five years.
Thailand can continue to deepen its presence in target export markets by leveraging relatively low labor costs and strong value creation in pet food production. Another key factor behind Thailand’s rise in pet food exports is that the country is aligned with major growth trends—pet humanization and the premiumization of pet food. In 2022, the domestic market exceeded USD 1.4 billion.
Expanding into new global markets
Currently, Thailand’s top five export destinations account for about 64% of total pet food exports: the United States (30.01%), Japan (14.68%), Malaysia (7.07%), Italy (6.66%), and Australia (5.90%). The top 15 countries account for 90.73% of Thailand’s pet food exports.
Looking ahead, Thailand aims to target not only its established markets, but also other high-potential regions such as the Middle East, South Asia, China, and Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. In addition, Thailand plans to establish new trade relationships with Central Asian and Nordic countries.
Thailand’s Trade Competitiveness and Key Challenges
While Thailand has strong momentum, there are also challenges in maintaining and improving trade competitiveness. In the 2022 global competitiveness rankings, Thailand was ranked 33rd overall and 8th in Asia for trade competitiveness. This means Thailand needs to continue strengthening its trade capabilities—and this includes pet food exports.
Entering China, where registration regulations are strict
Thailand is especially focused on expanding into China. In the Chinese market, Thailand’s pet food export share is 2.77%, and Thailand has 33 pet food and pet food ingredient manufacturers registered with China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC).
In terms of the number of GACC-registered companies, Thailand ranks second after the United States. However, it is still far behind the U.S. To strengthen competitiveness in China, Thailand will need to further increase the number of registered manufacturers.
Competing in the EU, an advanced pet market
The European Union (EU) is also regarded as a high-value market. The EU pet food industry is considered one of the largest in the world, and it is seen as essential for Thailand to expand its export footprint.
At the same time, strict EU regulations and measures are challenging for manufacturers and Thai exporters. To overcome these hurdles, Thai manufacturers and exporters are accelerating efforts such as:
- ensuring quality suitable for premium segments (including organic pet food),
- investing in R&D to improve nutritional value,
- researching palatability, pet behavior, and evolving needs.
They also need to expand product lineups that meet the expectations of owners who treat pets like family. To achieve this, it is important to differentiate products, develop unique brands rather than relying solely on OEM production, prioritize raw material standards and safety, and strengthen both product development and marketing to build trust in Thai-made pet food.
OEM Development in Thailand
Although there is still room for improvement, Thailand’s pet food industry is rapidly growing and strengthening its competitiveness in global markets. By continuing to align with trends such as pet humanization and premiumization, and by developing new export markets, Thailand is expected to achieve further growth.
Our company provides comprehensive support for OEM development in Thailand. We recommend the most suitable OEM factories from the many available options, based on your needs. Through smooth communication with factory development and production teams, we support every stage—from recipe design through manufacturing.
OEM development in Thailand offers many advantages. By delivering high-quality products at competitive costs, we help strengthen your competitiveness in global markets. In addition, Thailand’s geographic location and its free trade agreements with various countries can provide logistical and shipping benefits.
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