VEVEY, SWITZERLAND — Nestlé Purina PetCare reported double-digit sales growth in the first six months of the Nestlé’s fiscal year 2021, led again by premium and science-based brands. Purina Pro Plan, Purina ONE, Felix and the company’s veterinary products continue to be a stronghold for this segment on a global scale.

The company shared its half-year earnings for fiscal 2021 on July 29.

Net sales for Purina PetCare totaled 7.4 billion Swiss francs ($8.2 billion USD), up 9.5% from year-ago sales figures. The pet segment is currently Nestlé’s second most profitable business, trailing powdered and liquid beverages by roughly 4.2 billion Swiss francs ($4.6 billion USD) in revenue over the period.

Note: Swiss franc to USD conversions are based on Aug. 5 exchange rates.

“PetCare continued to see outstanding growth globally,” said François-Xavier Roger, chief financial officer. “Most segments grew at a double-digit rate with market share gains. Purina's performance was driven by continued strong momentum in e-commerce and increased demand for premium products. The rollout of ProPlan LiveClear, the first allergen-reducing cat food, continues to gather pace, and we have now expanded into 23 markets.”

Purina saw mid-single-digit growth in North America and double-digit growth in Zone EMENA, which includes Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Purina also gained market share in Zona AOA, which includes Asia, Oceania and sub-Saharan Africa, and posted double-digit sales growth in China specifically.

Organic growth for the pet segment continues to be high at 10.3% over the first six months of the year. Organic growth for the company overall was reported at 8.1%, with Powdered and Liquid Beverages, Confectionary and PetCare leading the pack.

In response to a question about growth expectations for Purina PetCare during a July 29 earnings call, Mark Schneider, chief executive officer, stated increased pet ownership and certain COVID-19 implications are promising for Nestlé’s pet category moving forward.

“It's very clear that in the aftermath of COVID, both of these categories [Purina PetCare and Coffee] — which were high-growth categories to begin with — will see improved dynamics,” he said. “…There's going to be a long, long positive tail to this, and we'll benefit from it.”

Overall, Nestlé reported 41.8 billion Swiss francs ($46.1 billion USD) in net sales for the first six months of the fiscal year, up 1.5% from year-ago revenue. The company stated net sales were dragged down 3.5% by unfavorable foreign exchange rates, and net divestitures negatively impacted net sales by an estimated 3.1%.

“…It has been an exceptionally strong first half, with organic growth beyond our expectations,” Schneider said. “Continued strong at-home consumption, recovering sales in the out-of-home setting and in China, as well as market share gains in several categories were behind this stellar performance.”

Read more about corporate strategy, financial performance, mergers and acquisitions on our Business page.