Nestle Purina PetCare Turkiye’s position in professional pet nutrition has been built not simply on product range, but on a long-term science-based approach to pet care, according to Ayca Erkol, Business Unit Manager at Nestle Purina PetCare.

Erkol says innovation and research have been central to the company’s culture for more than 125 years. Today, its global R&D network brings together more than 500 scientists, including veterinarians, behavioural scientists, immunologists and nutrition experts, with the aim of combining nutrition, physiology and behaviour science into more holistic solutions.

That scientific focus is also shaping the company’s outlook in Turkiye, where pet ownership is evolving rapidly. With an estimated population of around 5.5 million cats and 1.5 million dogs, the market continues to grow, while pet owners are increasingly treating animals as family members and making more informed choices on health and nutrition.

Erkol says new investments are intended to support that transformation by strengthening accessibility, quality standards and a more localized science-based product development approach. She adds that the company expects the pet food category in Turkiye to grow by 33% in 2026.

Veterinarians remain a key part of this vision. Erkol says Nestle Purina PetCare sees veterinary professionals as one of the most valuable field representatives of science and aims to support them through knowledge-sharing as well as long-term collaboration. Through its Young Veterinarians Initiative, Purina has met more than 8,500 students in Turkiye over the past eight years. It also works actively with an average of 2,739 clinics, carries out around 3,882 advisory visits per year, and contributes to around five sector congresses and symposia annually.

Looking ahead, Erkol says the company’s future in Turkiye will be shaped by three pillars: innovation, scientific depth and collaboration with veterinarians.

Interview video will be on The Animal Economics YouTube channel soon.