Developing a Market Analysis Plan for Chef for Pets Pet Food Business

This market analysis plan outlines the key components for a custom pet food business, "Chef for Pets," designed to provide personalized meal plans for dogs and cats. The plan begins with a demand analysis, exploring market trends, identifying the target consumer (affluent, working-class pet owners aged 45-54), and segmenting the market geographically (Montreal, Quebec initially) and demographically. It examines customer buying behavior within the unregulated Canadian pet food industry and includes a quantity analysis to assess product quality. The plan then shifts to a competitor analysis, highlighting current market trends, identifying indirect competitors (Mondou, Safari), and assessing their strategies. The business's Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is emphasized, focusing on fresh ingredients, customized recipes, online accessibility, and home delivery. The plan concludes with an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, along with a bibliography of cited sources.

CHEF FOR PETS
MARKET ANALYSIS
INSTRUCTIONS FOR A BUSINESS PLAN
Topic:
We are planning to open a small pet food business, allowing customers to customize
ingredients for their dogs or cats. After that, the list of chosen ingredients will be sent to the
veterinary nutritionist. The nutritionist will check the profile of the pets and the ingredients to
analyze and then recommend the receipt that will be fit the best to the pets.
The business is owned by 5 members with equal shares, in which each member will work in
each department below:
- Management
- HR
- Finance
- Operations
- Marketing
There will be no Sales department as we decide that for each business day, each member will
work as a manager for that day even though the other 4 members are still there to work. The
manager will be responsible for the sales of that day.
Our business will need to hire 2 full-time cooks, instead of chefs to save costs, and 2 full-time
kitchen assistants, one-time payment for an information technologist to create the website for
our customers to make order and to maintain the website for our business as well.
We will also work with a veterinary nutritionist to help us develop the nutritional receipts. We
decide to pay her for each profile being created, instead of hiring her or having a subcontract
with her.
I include here all the steps and instructions that are required for a full market research below.
Some steps include some basic info already but I still need a full research for all of them again.
Develop a written Market Analysis Plan for your business plan, include these
following elements:

PART 1: DEMAND ANALYSIS
1. Trends in demand
As per Ipsos.com (2019), there are more than 7.9 million cats and 5.9 million dogs in Canada and
one of the major problems that the owners of these pets face is the fact that they are sure about the
diet pattern that they should follow for feeding their pets. However, despite believing that these pets
are a part of their family and also offering adequate amount of food and nutrients to these pets, it is
seen that these pets suffering from various kinds of health issues. More importantly, it is seen that pet
food is not being regulated by the national government of Canada and this in turn adds to the
fluctuations in the quality of the food which is being available to the pet owners (MacKay). Thus, it can
be said that the primary demand of the pet owners is the fact that they should be offered quality pet
food which will not only be in synchronicity with the taste requirements but also with the health
requirements of the pets. Furthermore, the demand for pet food had increased in a significant manner
in the concerned nation (480,000 tonnes per year) and the pet owners are not shying away from
spending the required amount of capital to get the right kind of food for their pets (Ipsos.com).
2. Type of consumer
The ideal customer base that the concerned business needs to focus on are the ones who
belong to age bracket of 45 to 54 age of age and also from working class background. It is pertinent
to note that the percentage of pet ownership among this particular section of people had increased

by almost 75% and they contribute in a significant manner towards the $1.84 Billion Canadian pet
food industry (Ipsos.com). More importantly, it is seen that these customers spend handsome
amount of capital to get the right kind of healthy and nutritious food for the pets and this it is likely
that the business venture under discussion here would be able to gain in a significant manner by
focusing on this demographic of the Canadian population.
3. Segmentation, Target Market
- Segmentation (Behavioral, Geographic, Psychographic, Demographic)
The business venture needs to focus on the kind of customers who show a high level of
attachment towards their pets and are also concerned regarding the quality of the food
products that they are offering to their pets. More importantly, the business venture will
initially focus its operations in Montreal, Quebec and after it had established its business
and attained a fixed customer base in this region it will expand its business to the other
parts of the nation as well. Furthermore, the concerned venture will look to focus on the
kind of customers who not only like to lead an affluent lifestyle but at the same time
consider their pets to a part of their family. Moreover, the particular demographic base in
which the concerned venture will focus are the ones belonging to the working class
background since they are the ones who would be able to spend the desired amount of
capital for their pet food.
- Target market: The business venture will initially focus on two customer bases, namely, the
primary customer base and the secondary customer base for its business. In the primary
target base, the individuals who are in their 50s or over and show medium to high level of
health conscious regarding their pets would belong. The primary rationale for selecting the
affluent people in this demographic can be attributed to the fact that they would have no
difficulty in paying for the food which would be recommended by the concerned venture.
On the other hand, for the secondary target base, the venture would focus on the
customers who belong to the age bracket of 30-50 years of age and have medium to high
income. In addition to these, it is seen that the pet owners in this customer base want their
pets to have a healthy lifestyle and because of this it is likely that they would pay for the
food products for their pets recommended by the concerned venture.
-

4. Descriptions buying behavior
In the absence of any fixed governmental policies regarding the pet food industry, the concerned
industry in Canada is a highly unregulated one and the different firms follow policies or strategies as per
their own strategic goals (Zijlstra and Vasanthan). However, at the same time it is seen that a high level
of competition exists within the concerned industry because of which the options or choices available to
the customers is very high. The net result of this is that the customers often switch brands and use the
kind of food items which are in synchronicity with their demands regardless of the effect that it has on
their pets (Pijaccanada.com). In addition to this, it is seen that the different firms are entering into
collaboration with the nutritionists so as to attain a higher level of growth. However, in the recent times
it is seen that the customers are increasingly becoming conscious regarding the health of their pets and
also the quality of food which they are offering to their pets. It is precisely this behavior of the pet
owners that the business venture under discussion here intends to capitalise on.

5. Quantity analysis: The concerned venture will take the help of the different nutritionists to
analyze the quality of pet food products which it will recommend to the customers. More
importantly, regular feedbacks will also be collected from the pet owners regarding the health
condition of their pet and also the level of growth that they had been able to attain through the
use of the pet food recommended by the venture. In addition to these, the venture will also take
the help of different kinds of internal control and regulatory measures for analyzing the quality
of products recommended to the customers and also hire R&D professionals to continually
enhance the range of food products recommended by them.
PART 2: COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
1. Current trends
In the earlier times, it was seen that the customers did not focus on the quality, taste, health
impactions and others factors of the pet food products which they were buying for their pet and the
sole criteria was the price of these products. However, in the present times it is seen that rather than
focusing on the attribute on the cost, the customers have become very concerned regarding the quality
as well as the taste of the food products and also the health implications that they are likely to have on
their pets (Pijaccanada.com). This change in trend can be attributed to the fact that the pets are
increasingly being seen as members of the family rather than just dogs or cats meant for the pleasure of
the individuals or something to play with.
2. Main competitors and their strategies

It is pertinent to note that there are presently no direct competitors for the business
idea that have been formulated and on the basis of which the business venture would
be established. However, at the same time it is seen that there are a few of indirect
competitors such as Mondou, Safari and others which are likely to pose a significant
amount of threat to the concerned firm. However, the focus on the concerned venture
on the health implication as well as the taste value is something which is lacking in
these firms. More importantly, it is seen that the majority of these firms are using the
cost leadership strategy to offer cost effective pet food products to the customers and
completely disregard the taste, quality and other factors. Thus, it can be said that the
amount of business competition that the venture under discussion here is likely to face
is very nominal.
SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES:
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
 Customization
 Home delivery
 Variety
 Flexibility
 Customer Services
 New/Un well-
known brand
image
 Qualities
concerns
 Financial
 Physical store in
future
 Cooperation with
vet/SPCA
 Food for other
animals
 Collaborations
with farm
 Franchising
 Trending
 Competitors
 Legalization
 Tax increasing
 Law changing
What is your USP?
 Unique Selling Proposition of our company is set of services that make Chef for
Pet special on the marker. Since it is about exactly why someone should buy our

product or become our customer, we will provide list of several advantages, how
dog owners can benefit from interaction with Chef for Pet.
o Using fresh and nutritious ingredients
o Manufacture a premium specific wet food for dog and cat
o Customized dry food for dogs and cats
o Adjusting recipe according customer needs (for next purchase)
o Product will be accessible through online channel
o Opening profile in the cloud in order to keep the customer's requirements
for future
o Delivery service
All these possibilities will provide high quality of food from Chef for Pet. The
company values the customer's needs and opens the collaboration with consumers.
After the choice of ingredients are made, client will proceed for placing order, and the
product will be delivered at his door step within 24 hours. The created profile will be
saved on website for future purchases. The pet meals vary from special treatments for
the cats and dogs, daily wet meals which can be arrange on daily and weekly basis and
dry food which can be purchased in weekly and monthly quantity.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• https://www.mtlblog.com/opinions/quebec-is-the-least-dog-friendly-province-in-
canada
• https://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sis14914
• http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/aac-aafc/A74-3-2016-2-
eng.pdf
• http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/animals/faq/
• https://www.justrightpetfood.com/how-it-works/how-we-make-it/
• https://www.slideshare.net/ahmadidrees1000/marketing-mix-and-4-ps

• https://www.slideshare.net/wyork/4-ps-of-marketing-11565902
• https://www.smartinsights.com/marketing-planning/marketing-models/push-pull-
product-distribution-model/

References
Ipsos.com. "Of Cats And Dogs: Pet Owners In Canada More Likely To Have Fido
Licensed And Tagged Than Felix". 2019.
https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/publication/2008-10/mr081030-1.pdf
MacKay, C. "History of the Canadian Pet Food Industry-A Veterinarians' Point of
View." Journal of Animal Science 96 (2018): 155-155.
Pijaccanada.com. "Canadian Pet Owner Consumer Trends". 2019.
https://pijaccanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Packaged-Facts-
Presentation-NPITS-2014.pdf
Zijlstra, R., and T. Vasanthan. "Creating kibbles with unique starch, fiber, and protein
profiles using Canadian ingredients." Journal of Animal Science 96 (2018): 155-
155.