Nestlé Purina PetCare: Transforming Pet Food with Sustainable Protein Solutions

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, pet adoptions have surged, with a 14% increase in the overall pet market in 2021. In 2024, owners spent $151.9 billion on pet goods and services in the United States.

The (fictional) vice president for product development at Nestlé Purina PetCare has a challenge to meet a still-growing pet food demand while aligning with Nestlé’s global commitment to environmental sustainability. But the supply of traditional meat-based proteins—a core element in dog and cat food—is a significant contributor to deforestation, water scarcity, and carbon emissions. This positioning makes the pet food industry a critical focal point for transforming sustainable food systems, circular resource utilization, and innovative approaches to reducing environmental impact while maintaining nutritional standards for beloved companions.

The case looks at the value chain and the competitive landscape for Nestlé Purina. It outlines major supply chain challenges, including that the demand for animal protein is outpacing supply. The protagonist must decide how to incorporate these considerations and leverage Purina’s brand image and capital to become a leader in the sustainable pet food market.

• Identify and evaluate key sustainability challenges within the pet food industry, especially in the context of the supply chain and operations of Nestlé Purina.
• Analyze the strategic integration of sustainability into Purina’s core business strategy, identifying specific initiatives that demonstrate a holistic approach to environmental and social responsibility beyond traditional corporate social responsibility practices.
• Evaluate the company’s potential efforts to redesign its products and supply chain to reduce environmental impact.
• Examine how the company’s sustainability strategies can create value for multiple stakeholders, including pet owners, investors, employees, and environmental advocates, and how these strategies can position Purina as a market leader in sustainable business practices.
• Appraise how Purina’s strategies may influence standards, consumer behavior, and broader market shifts toward more sustainable practices in the pet food and animal nutrition industry.