Unicharm Enters India's Pet Care Market With Silver Spoon Cat Food Launch

Unicharm has entered India's cat care category for the first time, launching its flagship feline nutrition brand Silver Spoon alongside Ezi-Lock Odour cat litter, starting in Mumbai on September 1. The Japanese consumer goods company, already one of India's most established names in baby, feminine and wellness care through brands including MamyPoko, Sofy and Lifree, is extending its India portfolio into pet care for the first time.

Silver Spoon is Unicharm's flagship feline nutrition brand and Japan's number one cat food, built around real-seafood recipes and what the company describes as industry-leading palatability standards. The brand already has a presence in several Asian markets, including Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, before its India debut. Alongside the food line, Unicharm is launching Ezi-Lock Odour cat litter, featuring the company's Rapid-Solid Technology for fast clumping and extended odour control, positioned specifically for Indian home conditions.

Ashish Verma, Executive Director of Unicharm India, said the company aims to build strong retail partnerships starting in Mumbai before scaling the category nationally. Unicharm plans to expand into further metro markets, broaden its variant and pack-size range, and deepen distribution across modern trade, e-commerce, quick commerce, pet specialty stores and veterinary channels in the coming months.

India's pet care market is projected to nearly double by 2030, driven by rising incomes, urbanization and what the industry commonly refers to as the "humanisation" of pets, the tendency for pet owners to treat animals more like family members and spend accordingly on premium nutrition and care products. Cats in particular are considered a fast-growing but underserved segment within the category, seen as well suited to the apartment-style living increasingly common in India's urban centers.

The move gives Unicharm, the world's 10th largest and Japan's largest pet care company, a foothold in a segment where India's branded penetration remains comparatively low, allowing the company to build category share early rather than compete for an already-established market. It also reflects a broader pattern among Japanese consumer goods companies of extending established India distribution networks, built initially around baby and feminine care, into adjacent categories such as pet care where formal competition remains limited.

Sources: PNN via Business Standard, "Unicharm Brings Japan's No.1 Cat Care to India, Opening a New Chapter in Premium Feline Nutrition and Hygiene," August 29, 2026. ANI News, same release, August 29, 2026.