As Pet Fed scales across cities, Founder Akshay Gupta explains how community-led insights, responsible pet parenting and experiential partnerships are shaping India’s largest pet festival
Pet Fed has grown into India’s largest pet festival. What were the key consumer and industry insights that shaped your expansion strategy across major cities?
Pet Fed’s expansion has been driven by how rapidly pet parenting in India has evolved. We recognised early that pet parents were not merely looking for products; they wanted discovery, community, expert guidance and safe spaces where their pets could socialise.
At the same time, the industry was seeing an influx of nutrition, grooming and wellness brands, but there was no unified platform for genuine engagement with pet parents. Pet Fed naturally became that meeting point.
These insights helped us identify cities with growing pet populations, higher spending on pet wellbeing and a clear appetite for experiential formats. Our expansion is therefore less about geography and more about readiness. Where we see strong pet communities and brand demand, we build a full-format Pet Fed edition. This insight-led approach has allowed us to scale while remaining relevant and deeply connected to our audience.
How does Pet Fed balance entertainment with responsible pet parenting, welfare awareness and brand integration without compromising its core ethos?
Balance is fundamental to Pet Fed’s DNA. From day one, we wanted the festival to be fun, but also purposeful. That is why our early editions featured off-leash areas, play zones, cat zones, agility rings, veterinary support and grooming stalls, all designed around pet safety and wellbeing. As we grew, we strengthened this commitment through workshops, adoption zones, NGO partnerships and masterclasses that educate pet parents on health, care and empathy.
Brand partnerships are chosen carefully. We work only with brands that align with our values, ensuring integrations never overshadow the festival’s essence. At its heart, Pet Fed remains about pets, people, community and care—where entertainment and education coexist seamlessly.
What trends are you seeing in India’s pet-care ecosystem, and how are these influencing future Pet Fed editions?
India’s pet-care ecosystem is evolving rapidly. We are seeing a strong shift towards premium and specialised products—high-quality nutrition, grooming solutions, supplements and wellness offerings. Importantly, this trend is no longer confined to metros; Tier II and III cities are catching up fast.
Pet parents today are more informed and emotionally invested. Pets are treated as family, which is driving greater spending on preventive healthcare, nutrition and overall wellbeing.
These shifts directly influence how we curate Pet Fed. Future editions will feature enhanced wellness zones, deeper health and nutrition partnerships, more inclusive cat spaces and experiences that reflect the evolving expectations of modern pet parents.
Sponsorships are critical for experiential IPs. How has brand participation at Pet Fed evolved, and which categories are emerging strongly?
Initially, participation was largely limited to pet-food and accessory brands. As the Pet Fed grew, interest expanded across categories. Today, lifestyle, food, health, retail and even non-pet brands want to engage with the pet-loving community, which shows how mainstream pet parenting has become.
Within pet care, premium nutrition, grooming, wellness and pet-friendly lifestyle products are seeing the strongest momentum. Importantly, brand participation has shifted from static stalls to immersive activations. Sponsors now focus on interactive experiences—games, training zones, adoption drives and wellness checks—making engagement meaningful rather than visibility-driven.
As Pet Fed scales, what new verticals are you exploring to build a year-round pet ecosystem?
Scaling Pet Fed is not just about hosting larger festivals; it is about building a year-round ecosystem. We are actively exploring several verticals to support pet parents beyond the event.
This includes digital community platforms where pet parents can connect, share experiences and access resources; deeper retail collaborations with trusted brands through interactive engagements; expanded health and wellness services such as grooming and vet consultations; and structured training and awareness programmes covering responsible pet parenting, adoption and even pet photography.
Our long-term vision is for Pet Fed to evolve from a festival into a trusted support system—one that contributes to a healthier, happier and more informed pet ecosystem across India.
