Country report Serbia: A rising star on the global pet map

The pet industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the Serbian economy. Food for dogs and cats ranked sixth in the top 10 export products of the domestic agricultural and food sector last year.

We take a closer look at what’s going on in the nation’s pet industry, including some of its most enterprising businesses and innovative products.

Innovations on the world stage

Although many pet owners don’t realize it, numerous novelties on offer around the globe originate from Serbia.

Take for example the world’s first juices for dogs. Produced by King’s Choice, these juices are made of pineapple, raspberry and blueberry, without sugar but with all the valuable natural fruit-based ingredients, and seasoned with the taste of beef, chicken and pork.

Or what about a dessert made of dried apples for cleaning a pet’s teeth, or a fresh snack in the form of a ‘petite biscuit’?

Serbian teams of producers, scientists, veterinarians, and dog and cat owners have incorporated their innovation, creativity, knowledge, dedication and love for pets to bring these and other exciting products to the international pet community.

Undisputed regional leader

The Serbian pet food industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the national economy, which is experiencing exponential growth.

Although the production and export performance of Serbian manufacturers of pet food is not yet on a par with the results of major players internationally, it is the undisputed regional leader.

Moreover, Serbia has already entered the top half of the list of pet food-producing countries in Europe, and is a rising star in the global pet industry.

Food for dogs and cats has climbed the top 10 list of Serbian export products in the agricultural and food industry at incredible speed. In 2024, it ranked sixth after grain (maize and wheat), cigarettes, tobacco and berries.

Impressive export statistics

According to the database of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, the country exported pet food worth €179 million ($193.7M) to the rest of the world last year.

This is 70% higher than the export statistics for apples – one of the most sought-after Serbian fruit types on the international market – which stood at €105.4 million ($114.2M).

The Serbian production of dog and cat food is now almost 390 times bigger than 15 years ago: from 255 tonnes in 2010 to 97,545 tonnes in 2024.

In fact, last year’s export figures were 25.5 times higher than the €7 million ($9.1M) achieved in 2011. A decade and a half ago, exports did not even equate to half of imports, whereas today the value of Serbia’s exported goods exceeds 60% of the goods the country imports.

Key pet food producers

The year 2011 is considered the beginning of the rise of the domestic pet industry, because that is when the foundations of the legal framework were established.

One of the smaller, specialized producers of pet food at that time was Premil. Since then, thanks to the cooperation with the Dutch company Vobra, it has grown into a modern factory and one of the largest domestic companies in this area.

According to data from the Serbian Business Registers Agency, there are currently a total of 26 pet food producers in Serbia, including 22 production plants that are approved for export to the EU.

Besides Premil, these include Farmina Pet Foods, which is one of the 42 largest European pet food companies measured by export results. Other specialized producers are Agrosava Pet Food and Danube Petfoods.

Indeed, stimulated by profitability and the growth of global demand in this segment in the past 5 years, an increasing number of animal feed exporters – such as Gebi and PatentCo – are adding production lines of food for dogs and cats.

Expanding export destinations

As the growth of Serbia’s pet industry continues to accelerate, the scope of global markets where the nation sells its products is also expanding.

In the past decade, the main export markets were countries in the region in the territory of former Yugoslavia.

However, in the past 5 years, as many as 17 new markets opened for Serbian pet food, including in distant locations such as the US, Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Peru) and the Far East (Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Bangladesh and Taiwan).

As a result, according to data for 2024, Serbian dog and cat products were retailed in 55 markets around the world.

The major markets are on the European and American continents, where a total of €90.2 million ($97.8M) worth of Serbian pet food was sold last year, accounting for 68% of the exported total.

In more than half of those destinations, Serbian producers increased their export performance last year.

Sales rose by 3 times on the Ukrainian market, and more than doubled in the US – which is the biggest market, accounting for almost a fifth of all Serbian pet product export – as well as in the UK and Denmark.

Foundations of quality and research

So what is the secret behind the growth of the Serbian pet industry? Firstly, it is based on solid foundations: on the traditions of Serbia’s agricultural and food industry and its important segment of animal feed production.

Producers also rely on high-quality raw materials – free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

In addition, they apply the strictest international standards and trends throughout the entire production chain in modern factories, as well as domestic and international research and achievements, and use the expertise of recognized veterinary professionals.

Technological hub

But in the Serbian ‘recipe for success’, the most important extra ingredient – because it not only explains the past success, but is also a guarantee of future advancement – is innovation.

Serbia is a new European technological and biotechnological hub, a center of innovation and knowledge. With the fastest growing ICT and startup community in Europe, Serbia has been described by the world media as the new Silicon Valley of the Western Balkans.

The nation’s businesses are using the economy’s number 1 export product – software – in combination with new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to create innovations that drive industries forward – and that includes pet food and pet supplies.

Serbian pet industry inventions

One prime example of the country’s innovative creativity is the world’s first toothbrush for dogs. This invention of the Serbian startup Petsie is already sold in 10 markets in Europe and America.

Similarly, advanced technology has been leveraged in Smartsy, a ‘smart’ dog house designed to be placed in front of stores.

The temperature can be controlled remotely and a camera allows owners to keep a close watch on the safety and comfort of their dog, resulting in a carefree shopping experience for them.

Last but not least, Belgrade-based startup WellPet.ai recently presented a new smart collar.

Supported by an AI data processing platform, it includes a mobile application that translates ‘dog speak’ into human language.

Accelerating startups

These are just a few of the smart pet products created in Serbia in recent years, and new ones are expected to continue to emerge, especially from the SEE UP Accelerator for pet industry-focused startups.

The first of its kind in the Western Balkans, this accelerator is located under the same roof as the Centre for Digital Transformation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.

It supports and invests in startups that have market-validated solution.

Among other things, the SEE UP Accelerator helps innovative companies to scale up and improve their business, test products on the target market, and network with investors and strategic partners in the pet industry, ranging from pet food and equipment manufacturers to distributors and veterinary chains.