Laroy Group acquires Europet Bernina

Continuing on its path of international expansion, Wondelgem, Belgium-based pet supplies specialist Laroy Group reached an acquisition agreement with Dutch group Europet Bernina International (EBI) on October 21, 2015. Els Laroy, Laroy Group CEO, signed the takeover documents at the EBI headquarters in Gemert, the Netherlands, accompanied by the management of both firms.
Europet Bernina, the supplier and developer of pet brands like Aqua Della, Heartfelt, EBI and D&D, with branches in the Netherlands, Germany and France, has been a steady source of innovation, creativity and reliability in the industry for many years.
Because of this agreement, the international supplier of pet products Laroy Group now employs 225 people and has a turnover of EUR65 million (US$71 million) in 62 countries across the globe. Laroy Group aims to be a very competitive and reliable partner for all pet supplies. In the important home markets Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxemburg, and beyond. This acquisition significantly strengthens its position in The Netherlands, France and especially Germany.
The main proprietary brands of the new Laroy Group are:

• Duvo+: Accessories and snacks for dogs, cats, birds, small animals, fish and reptiles
• Europet Bernina – EBI: Specialty scratching posts, plastics and accessories for cats, dogs and small animals
• Witte Molen: Manufacturer of bird- and small animal food
• Heartfelt: Stylish cat and dog furniture
• Aqua Della: High-end decoration items for sweet- and salt water aquariums
• Cédé: Specialist in egg food for birds
• D&D | Dream & Dare: Lifestyle accessories with unique design for dogs and cats
• Coockoo: Trendy toys for dogs and cats

Czech Republic caters to canines with pop-up restaurant

The Czech Republic's new pop-up restaurant, Pestaurace, caters to canines, adding itself to the list of growing global pet-based dining experiences.

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Pestaurace is launching a cross-country tour in July, hoping to appeal at a time when petfood is a fast-growing market in the Czech Republic. According to Euromonitor International, there is a significant trend to high-quality dog food in the country, and the sector is posting constant growth.
The restaurant offers menu of chicken with vegetables, salmon with potato, lamb with rice and gravy, rabbit with rice, and meatballs with poultry fat, all sweetened by extra meat. Dessert is a choice from four flavors of biscuit: game, lamb, veal or poultry.

Partner in Pet Food sees sales up 6% in 2013

European petfood producer Partner in Pet Food (PPF) has released its 2013 financials, showing a 6 % rise in annual sales during the year.

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Total sales came in at €225 million (US$308 million), with a total product volume of 400,000 tons. The company more than trebled its UK sales, up 213%, according to PPF's report. Thirty-five percent of sales were from new products, 11% of sales were generated in new markets and there was a 25% increase in branded sales.
PPF significantly increased its presence in the key European markets. In November of 2013 the company signed an agreement to supply Tesco with own-label products for sale in the UK. This builds on the long-standing relationship PPF has with the retailer in Central and Eastern Europe. The company forecasts that in 2014 it will triple its UK sales, along with doubling them in Germany and France.
"PPF has achieved excellent results in 2013 during a difficult market and is now clearly a European market leader in petfood," said Chris Mruck, managing partner and co-head of Central Europe, Advent International. "These results provide a strong foundation for growth in 2014 and beyond. The business has a strong pipeline of opportunities which should allow it to capitalize across Europe." 

Partner in Pet Food to acquire petfood division of Agro-Trust

Partner in Pet Food, a pan-European petfood producer, has agreed to acquire the petfood division of Agro-Trust, a family owned Hungarian agricultural and petfood company.
Agro-Trust produces a range of alucup products, petfood sausages, and specialty dried and smoked products. The investment in Agro-Trust supports Partner in Pet Food's growth strategy and allows the company to expand into the premium and super-premium petfood market segments. Partner in Pet Food's investment in Agro-Trust also will lead to the expansion of Agro-Trust's alucup production facility.
The transaction is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2013, subject to regulatory approval. 

Market for other petfood in Belgium to grow 2 percent in 2012

The market for other petfood in Belgium is expected to increase by 2 percent during 2012 to EUR21 million (US$27.3 million), according to provisional estimates in Euromonitor International's Other Pet Food in Belgium report.
The "small mammals" category of the other pets segment is currently experiencing the highest increase due to Belgian children's love for small animals.
In addition to these findings, the report offers a guide to the size and shape of the other petfood market in Belgium, with retail sales data from 2007-11 and forecasts to 2016. The report covers bird food, fish food, and small mammal and reptile petfood products. 

Euromonitor offers report on other petfood market in Norway

The market for other pet food, including bird food, fish food and small animal food, in Norway remained stable in 2011, with provisional estimates that growth will decrease in 2012 and fall through 2017, according to a new Euromonitor International report.
The report, Other Pet Food in Norway, provides data on the size and shape of the other pet food market in Norway, including retail sales data from 2008-12 and market forecasts to 2017. The report also identifies leading brands and provides a strategic analysis of factors influencing the market, such as new products, distribution and pricing.
The full report on the market for other petfood in Norway can be purchased online. 

Danish petfood manufacturer receives 2012 Global Pets Forum Award

Danish pet food manufacturer Vital Petfood Group was awarded the 2012 Global Pets Forum Award during a ceremony recently held in Berlin, Germany, Pets International announced.
The private-label pet food maker scored highest in a series of categories to receive the award. Paul van der Raad, Vital Petfood Group managing director, was presented the award by Pets International general director, Corine van Winden, at the 13th Global Pets Forum. The forum was attended by more than 200 pet industry professionals from 30 countries, who learned about the changing pet food market, social media use, pet retail and more. 

EU pet owners spend US$33.05 billion on pet products, study finds

EU-member states spend an annual €25 billion (US$33.05 billion) on pet necessities such as pet food, according to a study conducted by IFH Retail Consultants, a subsidiary of the Institut für Handelsforschung.
Nearly three-quarters of the total European pet owner expenditure goes to pet food, with the amount spent on pet accessories and pet care products much less in contrast, the report found. Dogs and cats dominate the European pet sector, with more than €10 billion (US$13.22 billion) on spending annually for dogs and cats, while spending €1 billion (US$1.322 billion) is spent on fish, small animals and birds, according to IFH Retail Consultants. 

New report on Pet Care in Slovakia expects petfood market to grow

ReportsnReports offers a new report on Pet Care in Slovakia, which forecasts that the pet care market in Slovakia will continue to grow. The Pet Care in Slovakia report found moderate growth in the pet food market from 2006-2011, with multinational pet food brands dominating the market over domestic brands. Dry petfood is preferred in this market, the report found, especially for dogs.
The report includes an overview as well as sales by category, pe tfood company market shares and market forecasts. A copy of the report may be purchased online.

State of the petfood market in Europe

While recent reports show only mild growth in Western European petfood markets such as Italy and Germany, the region still accounts for a significant amount of petfood knowledge, activity and, for lack of a better term, buzz.
These are only one person's observations after I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks in Europe earlier this month, first organizing Petfood Forum Europe and attending Victam International in Cologne, Germany, then traveling to visit petfood plants in Spain and Italy, culminating with a day at Zoomark in Bologna, Italy. But the fact that growth is still happening despite ongoing economic doldrums (including in Spain and Italy) backs up my impressions, I believe.
Petfood Forum Europe on May 4 turned out to be a day of worthwhile industry knowledge and enthusiastic participation from 130+ petfood professionals from throughout Europe and the world. (Check out videos of some of the speakers.)
The conference was held in conjunction with Victam International 2011, the large agrifeed show that featured dozens of petfood equipment suppliers and their impressive new extruders, driers, hammermills and the like. (See a video of a new packaging machine.) The Victam Innovation Award winners included some of these suppliers, such as Buhler and Amandus Kahl.
My travels the following week included a visit to the plant of a small but very interesting company, Biologia y Nutritcion, near Zaragoza, Spain. Its innovative business model -- it's the petfood category producer and manager for Mercadona, a 1,000+ chain of supermarkets in Spain, an arrangement exclusive to both companies -- has catapulted it to a 39% share of the Spanish petfood market in just four years. (Watch for an article in Petfood Industry later this year.)
Last but certainly not least, Zoomark 2011 was abuzz with new pet products, visitors and conversation the day I attended. This pet trade show, which just completed its 14th edition, alternates with Interzoo (held during even years in Nuremberg, Germany). While not nearly as large as Interzoo, Zoomark is growing increasingly international, with 363 exhibitors from 37 countries this year, according to the organizers. Many petfood companies exhibited, not just ones from Italy but also multinationals as well as manufacturers from throughout Europe, the US, Latin America and Asia.
Watch for data on the European and other petfood markets in the July directory issue of Petfood Industry.