Page 50 - PET worldwide issue 01/2023

Suppliers

“Why Africa

is a big thing”

To many players in the pet supplies sector, Africa is a closed
book. An experienced sector expert from South Africa spoke at

the International Pet Conference in Bologna about the growth
potential of this continent for the pet sector.

volume at 65 tons of pet food. operating in the different coun-
Via a large number of different try markets.
brands, Montego markets an ex-
tensive assortment of dog and A developing modern
cat food products to cater for retail trade
all consumer requirements. The Africa accounts for a market
range features both moist and share of just 1.3 per cent of the
dry food products, treats, top- global pet supplies market. Bo-
pers and also care and groom- tha estimates total turnover at
ing articles. 6.6 bn dollars, 350 mio of which
derives from South Africa alone.
Update on Africa Compared with the volume of
Botha is aware that the knowl- imports into Africa as a whole
edge of many European market totalling 103 296 mio dollars,
players about the African conti- exports account for a mere 45
nent is limited. This is why she 306 mio dollars. Botha says
Karlien Delport Botha from South From 2019 to 2022, Karlien Del- opened her presentation at the that the African pet product mar-
African pet food manufacturer Mon- port Botha was employed as International Pet Conference, ket is characterised by a retail
tego Pet Nutrition spoke about the
African pet supplies market at the an international marketing spe- where the delegates were mostly landscape that operates on an
International Pet Conference 2022. cialist at South African pet food from Europe and America, with informal basis up to a level of 87
manufacturer Montego Pet Nutri- some basic market data on Af- per cent. Consolidated trade of
tion. In this role, her job was to rica and its potential for the pet the kind found in Europe is only
develop and implement a growth sector. Africa is home to around just being developed in Africa,
strategy enabling the company 1.25 billion people, 60 per cent according to the marketing ex-
to expand beyond its domestic of whom are under the age of 25. pert. One flagship company that
market. Botha left Montego at Many of them have pets. Another is showing the way is the South
the end of last year. interesting fact is that Africa has African pet store chain Pet Zone,
Montego, which is based 1 164 listed companies. And for which runs around 50 stores
in Graaf-Reinet in the south- those who believe they can ser- across the country, plus a store
east of the country, entered the vice the African market from Eu- in Windhoek in Namibia. Abso-
market in 2000. It describes rope with a uniform strategy, it is lute Pets, based in Cape Town,
itself as the biggest independ- worth knowing that over 2 000 claims to have as many as 90
ent pet food producer in Africa languages are spoken in Africa. stores. The company also has
and puts its monthly production This poses a major obstacle to its own online store as well as

50 PET worldwide 1|2023

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