More than 50 years of health nutrition
Since 1968 Royal Canin has worked to make nutrition cats and dogs first medicine. It is our way of making a better world for pets.
1968: Our passion for pet health through nutrition began with one man
Jean Cathary was born in May 1927 in the small French town of Puy-en-Velay. He started his veterinary career working with horses and bulls. Over the years he came to believe that food could impact the health of animals. In 1968, he creates the ‘yellow soup’ for dogs. The ROYAL CANIN® brand is registered.
1972: Bienvenue a Le Group Guyomarc'h
The ROYAL CANIN company is acquired by the Guyomarc'h group, bringing us its expertise in nutritional precision and diet formulation. The Guyomarc’h group gives the Royal Canin teams plenty of autonomy. It provides financial support, R&D resources, and some expertise in strategy and marketing, but decentralisation is also one of its hallmarks.
1974: International expansion
By the beginning of 1974 Royal Canin products are now sold in eight countries across Europe - France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands.
1980: Launch of AGR, a major innovation
The first ever complete food designed for large breed puppies A.GR was praised by breeders around the world and for over 15 years it was seen as the “reference food”.
1982: A place in French culture
A dog running free: a legendary advertisement. This ad, featuring Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack from the film The Professional, has since become part of the French popular culture.
1985
The ROYAL CANIN brand is launched in USA with four importers.
1990: New owner. New strategy. Same Philosophy
Paribas Affaires Industrielles buys Guyomarc’h Groupe. This results in big shift in strategic direction, greater ambition and global development. Our philosophy remains the same - to make a better world for pets.
1994: Pioneering the Cat nutrition
Launch of RCFI range, a triple revolution in cat food. The product offers premium nutrition through a dry food and specialised distribution through breeders and veterinarians, while the rest of the cat food market sells wet foods through supermarkets.
1997: Royal Canin Publications: A new chapter
We launch of the ROYAL CANIN Dog Encyclopaedia, followed a year later by the Cat Encyclopaedia. The authors of which were awarded with the Veterinary Academy’s Grand Prix.
1997: Size Specific Nutrition
After years of research and development, RCCI SIZE is launched. It is the world’s first nutritional programme based on the size and the age of dogs.
1999: Breed Specific Nutrition
Our very first breed specific food. The almond shape kibble was specially designed to work with the jaw structure and eating habits of Persian cats, while it’s nutritional make up was designed to meet their unique health needs.
2001: A gathering of knowledge
The first Scientific Meeting in Montpellier brings 150 veterinarians together from all over Europe to discuss pet nutrition and wellbeing. The brand new Campus in Aimargues also opens. It is a centre of excellence and all activities are brought together in state of the art facilities centred around the factory: R&D, kennel, cattery, Headquarters and French subsidiary.
2002: A new family - Mars
ROYAL CANIN SAS is now part of Mars Inc.
2002: Breed specific food for dogs
We launch our first breed specific food for dogs - Mini Yorkshire Terrier YPR 28. It is offers nutrition tailored to the specific physical and health needs of the breed.
2003: The best of both worlds
Launch of the new VDiet veterinary exclusive range, springing from the association between ROYAL CANIN Research and the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (WCPN).
2005
A state-of-the-art obesity clinic. In collaboration with the WCPN, we support the creation of the first European weight management clinic in Liverpool, UK.
2009: The launch of our wet range
Royal Canin enter the wet category in specialised pet trade retail with the launch of Feline Health Nutrition wet range.
2009: The last continent
With the opening of the first factory in Asia, we now have nine plants to manufacture our products. Royal Canin now manufacture and supply across every continent, except Antartica.
2012: Anallergenic, a breakthrough innovation
It took us 10 years of research to come up with the first diagnostic tool diet designed for dogs with allergic reactions. This diet is a breakthrough nutritional solution that supports pets with extreme food allergies. Made with extensively hydrolysed proteins (oligopeptides), this kibble can be easily digested without being detected by overly sensitive immune systems.
2014: Each dog is unique
Start of the individualisation journey with the launch of GHA, a test that scans dogs’ DNA, allowing veterinarians to create customised health plans that reflect each dog's individual genetic code.
2016 Launch of the ICU range
The ICU range, liquid and complete diets specially formulated for tube feeding, helps vets to manage cats and dogs in critical conditions. With this diet, cats and dogs can get the vital nutrition they need to make a speedy recovery.
2016 - Brand partnerships
Better together: spirit of excellence - a shared vision to create a better world for pets unites the brands ROYAL CANIN and EUKANUBA.
2017 - Bring your dog to work
Our Aimargues Campus now operates a pet-friendly office policy. Each dog receives a welcome kit containing a drinking bowl, a sign announcing their presence, a lead for a walkies, a blanket, a red mattress and an identification badge so that all the “bipeds” know their name.
2018 - Infrastructure development
The opening of our 15th factory in Gimje, South Korea allows further expansion across East Asia. While the extension of our campus with Global Innovation Centre to help drive forward our mission to create a better world for pets.
Our values
Find out more about the ideas and values that shape Royal Canin’s role in the world.
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Tailored nutrition
Our work is based on a vast and growing scientific understanding of pet health and nutrition.
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