Unicharm Corporation has entered the Brazilian pet care market through the acquisition of Nutrire Indústria de Alimentos Ltda., strengthening its long-term pet care and FMCG growth strategy in Latin America.
The company said Nutrire will become a wholly owned subsidiary as Unicharm expands operations in one of the world’s fastest-growing pet care markets.
The acquisition forms part of Unicharm’s 2026–2030 “Project-Renaissance” strategy, which identifies wellness care and pet care as major future growth areas.
Brazil is currently the world’s third-largest pet care market and is expected to continue growing at more than 10% annually, according to the company. Rising pet ownership and increasing demand for premium pet products have continued reshaping supermarket and consumer goods categories across the country.
Founded in 2001, Nutrire manufactures premium pet food and manages the full production process from raw material sourcing to sales. The company also operates an export network focused on neighboring South American markets.
Unicharm said the acquisition combines Nutrire’s production infrastructure with its own marketing and product development capabilities to accelerate regional expansion.
The Japanese consumer goods group has operated in pet care since 1986 and sells products including pet food, litter systems, waste pads, and disposable pet diapers.
In fiscal 2025, Unicharm’s pet care business generated net sales of 156.1 billion yen, up 5% year-on-year. The company aims to increase pet care’s share of total sales from 17% in FY2025 to 20% by FY2030.
The deal also reflects wider growth across global supermarket pet categories as retailers continue expanding premium pet food and higher-margin pet care assortments.
Industry investment in pet wellness, premium nutrition, and convenience-focused pet products is expected to remain strong over the next several years as consumer spending patterns continue shifting toward “pet humanization” categories.
Editor’s Note: Information in this article is based on the official acquisition announcement published by Unicharm Corporation regarding its acquisition of Nutrire.
