Pets Come First

Royal Canin China general manager David Cai reveals why he’s committed to raising the standard of pet ownership in China.

- Anastasia Prikhodko

The reason why David Cai chose to work at Royal Canin, a division of Mars Petcare and pioneer of nutritional health for cats and dogs, was straightforward. It was because of his mother’s dog Foodo, whom she loved dearly. Seeing how happy the pet made his mother, David figured it must be a genuine industry as well as the next logical step in his career.

“I also believed in the Mars brand and its ability to provide me with continual growth,” says the General Manager of Royal Canin China. During David’s seven years working at the company, he has not only grown the business but has also grown as an individual.

Born, raised and educated in Shanghai, David has worked across several industries for companies such as East Asia Co, Arc International, Heineken and Mars. The pet industry, on the other hand, is different.

“It’s an industry of heart,” he says. “I was and continue to be inspired by what Royal Canin said to me when I joined the company: ‘We put cats and dogs first.’ It’s simple, but it’s a powerful statement.”

He recalls the company explaining to him that the reason it puts cats and dogs first is that Royal Canin doesn’t only please pet owners; it also believes pets have their own particular needs. And as a pet owner himself, David was inspired. “The mission statement is that we want to make a better world for pets, which is very much in line with my own goals,” he explains.