Pet care brand Zigly targets 150 stores by ’28

Zigly, an omnichannel pet care firm owned by Cosmo First Ltd, will add 20 stores in 2024, and have a network of 150 outlets over the next five years to expand its presence across all metros. At present, it operates 14 stores across north India.

It is scouting for locations in Bengaluru and Jaipur, and has invested about ₹50 crore so far, out of which ₹25 crore was spent to build assets and the rest for operational expenses, said Cosmo First’s group chief executive Pankaj Poddar.

By March 2024, it will pump in ₹100 crore and expects to break even by 2025. Cosmo First has not hived off its petcare business as yet, which is part of the group’s other businesses including manufacturing packaging material.

In the last four years, it has also diversified its business to include industrial adhesives, and decided to enter the consumer-facing business Zigly as it felt that growth rates for pet care business is likely be high compared to other businesses. “It’s an emotional business and touches consumers directly. It also did not have a lot of organized players,” said Poddar.

Zigly, which initially sold a range of pet care products like food, nutritional supplements, hygiene products, accessories and toys, expanded to grooming services and full-fledged veteri/nary services. The first 14 outlets were opened in the last 14 months.

“We wanted to be both digital and offline, in products as well as services for pet parents,” Poddar said. The company is also doing quick commerce orders. it has 11 stores in Delhi NCR, two in Chandigarh and one in the satellite town of Panchkula. For now, the company will only own and operate its outlets.

“Families are getting smaller and many pet adoptions are going up and we feel a lot of pet parents have discretionary income to spend on their pets. We have dogs and cats as a category at our stores,” he said.

Most of its stores have routine products and grooming as well as basic vaccines, and blood sampling for pets, while others also have some additional veterinary care like x-ray machines, ultrasound and similar facilities. The company makessome pet products locally while it also imports products, treats etc., from China and other countries.

The pet care market has seen some serious interest in the recent past with HUFT raising $37 million (or about ₹277 crore) in a Series A round led by Verlinvest and Sequoia Capital India along with participation from Amitell Capital and existing investor, W&C PetTech in August 2021. Similarly, Wiggles.in received $3 million in seed funding and is currently in the process of raising $5 million in its Pre-Series A round.

Heads Up For Tails has about 75 retail stores in 15 cities, many of which are franchised.

Research firm Euromonitor International valued the Indian pet care industry at about ₹3,701.99 crore in 2021 - nearly doubling from ₹1,594.80 crore in 2015.