"Pets are not only our loyal companions but also cherished members of our family," said brand founder Hou Yi, who was also the founder and CEO of Freshippo, e-commerce giant Alibaba's grocery and fresh goods retail chain, at a strategic conference held in Shanghai on Feb 21.

Hou noted that the carnivorous lifestyle of pets has been long suppressed. Pet&Fresh advocates a dietary structure centered around fresh ingredients and raw meat, rejecting traditional dry food and industrial nutritional additives to meet the diverse nutritional needs of pets.

In the fresh food section, the refrigerated cabinets are stocked with freshly made cat and dog food priced at 24.9 yuan ($3.42) per 500 grams, featuring a clear list of ingredients such as beef, chicken, shrimp, fish, salmon and vegetables.

In addition, more than 300 types of snacks, such as meat sauce packets and air-dried goose tracheas, are neatly categorized and displayed in the store.