Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/49174

In this paper, we divide the dog food market into the pioneering,　growth, and maturity stages, consider the process of subdividing the　market structure in each division, and clarify the factors by which　this is regulated. In the pioneering stage, the first step is gaining consumer　acknowledgment for the dog food as a product, and each manufacturer’s　product was sold, mostly by pet shops and rice shops, based on its function as a complete and nourishing meal. During the growth stage, price competition by volume sellers　intensified, and each manufacturer sold a valueadded“premium”dog　food product. In line with the expansion of the sales channels in the maturity　stage, wholesalers were limited in line with sales strategies that　made use of each retailer’s special characteristics, causing compartmentalization among the wholesalers.