South America Pet Food Nutraceutical Market to Reach USD 1.71 Billion by 2034 as Health Nutrition Outgrows Pet Food

Ontario, California, 6 October 2026. The South America pet food nutraceutical market was worth USD 990 million in 2025 and will reach USD 1.71 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2026 to 2034, according to the new South America Pet Food Nutraceutical Market report from Growth Market Reports. The report finds that health nutrition is pulling away from ordinary pet food in the region's largest market: in Brazil, the veterinary market grew 5% in 2025 while pet food grew only 0.16%, and the largest global supplier has just made its biggest local bet in years.

Purina doubles down on Brazil

On 3 March 2026 Nestle Purina opened a BRL 2.5 billion wet pet food plant in Vargeao, Santa Catarina, which exports to Chile first, with Colombia and Mexico to follow. A month later the company relaunched Pro Plan in Brazil, taking the dry range from 41 to 54 items with functional actives such as colostrum and expanding its veterinary team from 3 to 18, with 40 planned by the end of 2026. In September 2025, at the WSAVA congress in Rio de Janeiro, Purina presented Pro Plan LiveClear and Pro Plan Active Mind, two products sold on a health claim rather than on basic nutrition.

Health nutrition outgrows pet food in Brazil

Brazil's pet sector earned BRL 77.96 billion in 2025, up 3.45%, including BRL 41.42 billion of pet food and BRL 8.2 billion of veterinary products, according to Abempet data presented to the Ministry of Agriculture's pet sector chamber. The chamber's October 2025 projection showed the veterinary market growing 5% against 0.16% for pet food. The animal health association Sindan reported that supplements and additives made up 13% of industry revenue of BRL 12.86 billion in 2025. Brazil holds 55.5% of the South American pet food nutraceutical market by Growth Market Reports' analysis.

Veterinary diets lead, cats and online grow fastest

Medicinal foods, the veterinary therapeutic diets prescribed for kidney, urinary, gastrointestinal, weight and allergy conditions, are the largest product type with 41% of 2025 sales, while functional foods and treats such as dental chews grow fastest. Dogs account for 72% of spending, but cats are the fastest-growing pet type as Brazil's cat population rises. Dry formats hold 55% of sales and wet formats grow fastest, helped by new local wet food capacity. Specialty pet stores sell 40% of the products and online stores are the fastest-growing channel. Joint actives and vitamins and minerals are the largest ingredient groups at 19% each.

Brazil leads, Colombia grows fastest

After Brazil come Argentina with 13.7% of the market, Colombia with 9.6%, Chile with 9.2% and Peru with 5.6%, with the rest of South America at 6.4%. Colombia is the fastest-growing country at about 7.5% a year: Virbac reported a 23% rise in its Colombian companion animal sales in 2025, led by petfood, vaccines, dermatology and nutritional products. Chile imported USD 243.1 million of retail dog and cat food in 2023, the largest import bill in the region, according to UN Comtrade data for HS 230910.

A concentrated diet market, a fragmented supplement market

Royal Canin (Mars), Nestle Purina, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Brazil's PremieRpet and Italy's Farmina hold about 45% of the market by Growth Market Reports' analysis. Supplements are spread across animal health companies including Vetnil, Organnact, Virbac, Vetoquinol and Argentina's Labyes, and Vitalcan leads therapeutic diets in Argentina.

"South American owners are cutting back on everyday pet food but still paying for diets and supplements their vet recommends. That is why the health segment keeps growing while the food market stalls. The suppliers who make clinical diets locally, and who can reach Colombia and Chile from Brazilian plants, are best placed for the next decade."

Raksha Sharma, Research Lead, Growth Market Reports

About the report

The South America Pet Food Nutraceutical Market report covers 2023 to 2034 with a 2025 base year, segmented by product type, ingredient, pet type, form and distribution channel across Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru and the rest of South America, with profiles of the leading diet and supplement companies and Brazilian retail price benchmarks. It combines primary interviews with industry participants and secondary sources including Brazilian government and association statistics, UN Comtrade trade data and company filings. Request a free sample of the South America pet food nutraceutical market report.

About Growth Market Reports

Growth Market Reports publishes market research and industry intelligence for companies, investors and consultancies worldwide. Charts from its reports are free to reuse with credit and a link.

Media contact: sales@growthmarketreports.com, +1 909 414 1393

Sources

1. Nestle Brasil, "Nestle Purina inaugura fabrica de racao umida em Vargeao (SC) e reforca estrategia de expansao no Brasil e exportacao", 2026-03-03
2. Nestle Brasil, "Nestle Purina relanca Pro Plan no Brasil e pretende dobrar o market share nos proximos dois anos", 2026-04-02
3. Nestle Brasil, "Nestle Purina destaca avancos em inovacao e tecnologia no setor pet no WSAVA 2025", 2025-09-29
4. Brazil Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) / Abempet, "Balanco Abempet 2025: setor pet faturara R$ 77,96 bilhoes em 2025 (45a reuniao ordinaria)", 2026-02
5. Brazil Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA), "Dados de Mercado Setor Pet: projecao do faturamento em 2025 (44a reuniao ordinaria)", 2025-10-30
6. Sindan, "Industria veterinaria: fechamento do mercado 2025", 2026-05
7. Virbac, "Virbac: 2025 annual results", 2026-03-17
8. United Nations Comtrade, "HS 230910 trade of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, 2023", 2024

Related

• Pet Food Nutraceutical Market Size, Share and Forecast
• Hill's vs Royal Canin vs Purina Prescription Diets: How the Therapeutic Diet Brands Compare in Brazil and South America