Polish dog food manufacturer PsiBufet has been acquired by Britain’s Butternut Box, with the company’s founder hoping the acquisition will allow the brand to further its European expansion plans.
“The opening of the new plant in Zabrze in southwest Poland will not only supply our produce to the Polish market, but also to the four other European markets we already have a presence in: the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany,” PsiBufet founder Piotr Wawrysiuk told Petfoodindustry.com.
“In the latter three markets we will sell our products under the Butterbox brand name. But we are already looking at expanding into new markets abroad,” Wałrisiuk said.
When asked about specific European countries that might be of interest to PsiBufet, the brand’s founder replied, “We are expanding the list of countries where we supply our premium dog food and will determine by the end of this year which markets have potential and what are the operational requirements we need to follow to enter them.”
New Zealand’s King Country Petfood adds staff
New Zealand pet food manufacturer King Country Petfood has announced it aims to upgrade its production facilities at a cost of about NZ$90 million (US$56 million) and double its current workforce of about 60 people after a three-year refurbishment.
King Country Petfood’s commercial general manager Gareth Stillman told local broadcaster Radio New Zealand that the factory in the central North Island town of Taumarunui uses locally sourced ingredients to produce a range of dry pet food brands sold in different countries.
“It’s very technical because we’re actually feeding the animals a complete and balanced diet,” Stillman said.
“They’ve been eating it their whole life and they need to know they’re getting the right nutrition. It’s 10 times more complex than human food,” Stillman says. “A lot of the ingredients are grown in the Taumarunui region so it’s quite centralised.”
Kiwi’s production facility can currently produce about 400 tonnes of pet food per week, and capacity will be upgraded over the next few years to about 40,000 tonnes per year, the general manager said.
Natura Plus Ultra Pet Food plans to open 100 stores by 2028
French manufacturer and direct-to-consumer business Natura Plus Ultra Petfood has announced plans to significantly expand its brick-and-mortar presence in the domestic market in response to increasing demand for pet food offered under its Ultra Premium Direct brand.
The company currently operates a network of 10 stores across France and aims to double this number by the end of this year, according to information seen by local business daily Les Echos. The French business aims to open around 20 new stores per year from 2025 onwards. The direct-to-consumer business aims to operate an expanded network of around 100 stores in the French market by the end of 2028.
Earlier this year, Mathieu Wincker, president and founder of Natura Plus Ultra Pet Food, told Petfoodindustry.com that the French company was also stepping up efforts to increase production capacity.
“On the factory side, the fourth expansion project will begin in 2024, with a total area of 13,000 square meters (about 140,000 square feet),” he said. “Our current production lines can absorb volumes that could generate sales of 150 million euros (about US$163 million) per year.”
