Who Really Owns Your Pet Food? Mars, Nestlé, and the Australian Pet Industry

When you walk down the aisle at Coles or Woolworths, you’ll see familiar pet food brands that feel reassuring: trusted names, happy animals on the packaging, and friendly nutrition claims. But have you ever wondered who actually makes these products and why companies famous for chocolate and convenience foods are now feeding (and treating) our pets?

In Australia’s pet food market, two global giants, Mars, Incorporated and Nestlé Purina PetCare, have a huge footprint not just in chocolate bars and breakfast cereals, but in pet nutrition too. Understanding that can help you make informed choices about what goes into your pet’s bowl and why the industry works the way it does.

From Chocolate to Kibble: A Brief Look at Mars & Nestlé

Both Mars, Incorporated and Nestlé operate massive pet food divisions alongside their human food brands.

Mars Petcare (Australia)

Mars Petcare owns and sells several well-known pet food brands available across Australia, including:

• Pedigree
• Whiskas
• Royal Canin
• Advance
• Optimum
• Nutro

Mars positions these brands as science-backed and nutritionally complete, supported by its global research arm, the Waltham Petcare Science Institute.

Nestlé Purina PetCare (Australia)

Nestlé’s pet division includes:

• Purina ONE
• Pro Plan and Pro Plan Veterinary Diets
• Fancy Feast
• Friskies
• Supercoat

These products are widely available in Australian supermarkets and pet stores, with local manufacturing facilities supporting distribution.

In short, two corporations best known for processed human food also dominate a significant share of what Australian pets eat every day.

A Circular Cycle: Feed. Treat. Repeat.

This is where the conversation becomes more interesting and more important. Globally, Mars has expanded beyond pet food into veterinary services, owning large veterinary hospital networks overseas such as Banfield, BluePearl, and VCA under Mars Veterinary Health. While these exact clinic brands are not widespread in Australia, the model itself is worth paying attention to.

The cycle looks like this:

1. Large corporations produce mass-market pet food, often designed for long shelf life, scalability, and cost efficiency.
2. Pets develop health issues, which can be influenced by many factors, including genetics, environment, age, and diet.
3. Veterinary care is required, and in some markets, the same parent company profits from treatment, diagnostics, or prescription diets.
4. The cycle continues; food, illness, treatment, repeat.

This doesn’t mean all commercial pet food is “bad,” nor does it suggest veterinarians act without integrity. Pet health is complex, and many vets genuinely want the best for animals. But when the same corporations influence both nutrition and treatment, it’s reasonable for pet owners to pause and think critically.

So, what should you take away from this?

Know Who Owns the Brand

Many “trusted” or “premium” pet food brands are owned by global food conglomerates whose primary expertise is mass production, not necessarily fresh or minimally processed nutrition.

Read Beyond the Marketing

Words like scientifically formulated or complete and balanced don’t always tell the full story. Ingredients, sourcing, and processing methods still matter.

You Have Choices

Australia has a growing number of independent, locally owned pet food brands that focus on transparency, fresher ingredients, and simpler formulations. Exploring alternatives allows you to choose what aligns with your values.

Awareness Breaks the Cycle

When one or two companies dominate an industry, education becomes your leverage. Understanding the system empowers you to ask better questions about food, health, and long-term wellbeing.

The companies that make your chocolate bars also help decide what fills your pet’s bowl. That doesn’t automatically make their products harmful, but it does make awareness essential.

Because informed pet owners don’t just follow the system.

They choose better within it.