Reference News Network reported on April 24 According to the Nikkei Shimbun on April 6, "pet technology" that effectively uses data and technology to protect pet health is gradually emerging. RABO, a startup located in Shibuya, Tokyo...
Reference News Network reported on April 24 According to the Nikkei Shimbun on April 6, "pet technology" that effectively uses data and technology to protect pet health is gradually emerging. RABO, a startup located in Shibuya, Tokyo, raised about 1.3 billion yen (about 10.28 million US dollars) to expand the sales of excretion information recording equipment used to prevent diseases, etc. In order to open up this market with growth potential, large companies such as Sharp have also participated, and the competition is becoming increasingly fierce.
"The urine volume seems to have increased, and health checks are recommended." RABO is responsible for the "Catlog Board" weight meter business. Place the "Catlog Board" under the cat toilet, record the excretion amount and frequency, etc., and send notifications to the cat owner's APP to facilitate the cat owner to detect changes in the pet's body in a timely manner. RABO also sells collar-type devices that record pet behavior, according to reports. If the cat drinks water more frequently and urinates frequently, it is suspected that there is a problem with the urinary system. According to Atsushi Ogawa, who holds a veterinary qualification certificate, cats have weak kidney and urinary systems, and the cause of death is mostly chronic renal failure.
Recently, RABO has reportedly raised about 1.3 billion yen from Uniga Group and venture capital firms, which sell pet supplies. In terms of business, RABO also cooperates with Uniga. RABO has about 15,000 pet data, which is conducive to the development of new pet toilets and pet food.
reported that RABO also cooperates with animal hospitals. Company representative Yi Yuyu Yunzi said: "We will work with dozens of hospitals to study how to use cat life data for diagnosis and treatment."
According to the US "Global Market Insight" consulting company, the global pet technology market will grow to about 2.5 trillion yen in 2028, about four times that of 2021. This promising market has also attracted the attention of large companies, and Sharp is also selling cat toilets with weight gauges.
report pointed out that Toletta Pet Cat Supplies Company in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture has developed cat toilets that have both weight meter and camera functions, and has also cooperated with animal hospitals.
It is reported that the company's service from the end of March is to automatically share data in the form of email with logged-in animal hospital veterinarians and others when indicators such as urine volume in pet cats change.
reported that one of the advantages is that cameras are installed in cat toilets. In addition to being able to detect cats’ abnormal behavior, cat owners can also "more at ease by watching the video." The company aims to enter the U.S. market by February 2023. The report pointed out that pet technology service targets are not just cats. The "Voice of Pets" company located in Chuoku, Tokyo also provides pet dogs with neck-wearing equipment that can record the number of meals and drinking water. Langvales, Minato, Tokyo, has developed a wearable device "Inupathy" that can analyze the dog's heartbeat status. The company has also worked with several universities, such as working with Okayama Science University to study how to calm the dog's heartbeat.
According to statistics from the Japanese Pet Food Association in Chiyoda, Tokyo, the number of cats in Japan is about 9 million, while the number of cats in the United States is about 10 times that of this number. For emerging pet technology companies, a business strategy that focuses on entering overseas is the key to accelerating growth.
According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on February 23, due to the new crown epidemic, people stay in their homes for a longer period of time, and the number of people raising cats to heal their mood is also increasing. Now centered on daily necessities manufacturers, there are already trends in finding business opportunities around cats. It is estimated that "cat economics" will bring nearly 2 trillion yen economic benefits.
reported that Japan's Fengxin Company, which is engaged in the production of pesticides and deodorants, joined the pet supplies business on the 22nd. The first product released was cat toilets, and the company added deodorizing ingredients extracted from lime trees to cat litter and mats. Although the company entered the pet products market late, it will strive to occupy 10% of the market share of related products in five years.
report pointed out that if you keep pets indoors, many families will mind the odor emitted by pet excrement, so deodorization-related products have become the main battlefield for various manufacturers.
It is reported that Uniga Group, which focuses on diapers and high-end physiological products and has very good performance, is also coming in full swing. The "pet health care" department, which makes full use of nonwovens and adsorbent technologies, saw sales increase by 9% over the same period last year as of December 2021.
reported that Uniga not only produces cat paper pads, but also produces cat snacks that are packed in the shape of spoons and are easy to feed. Uniga is focusing on increasing the types of products. The group general manager of the group, Gao Yuan Haojiu, pointed out: "The sales of the pet business exceeded the 100 billion yen mark for the first time. With profits, the cat-related fields are the driving force." The group will not only expand related businesses in Japan, but also abroad.
According to the Japanese Pet Food Association, the number of pet dogs and pet cats raised in Japan in 2021 will be about 16 million. There are about 7.1 million pet dogs, showing a decrease trend; while pet cats have reached about 8.9 million, showing a gradual increase. This is because under the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people have started raising cats in order to increase internal communication between families.
According to the survey company Fuji Economics, the domestic market for pet-related goods reached 503.4 billion yen in 2020. This market is expected to grow by 7.9% from 2020 by 2023.
reported that Katsuhiro Miyamoto, an honorary professor at Kansai University, used "cat economics" to express the economic benefits brought by cats in 2022, and predicted that it can reach a huge 1.96 trillion yen. The cost of raising a cat plus the expenditure on peripheral products such as cat cafes and photo albums will increase.
