Italy: Cotecnica and Gimborn expand presence through new acquisitions

Italian pet care companies are attracting cross-border buyers, with Spain’s Cotecnica acquiring premium pet food manufacturer Life Pet Care and Germany-based Gimborn acquiring a majority stake in plant-based cat litter specialist Cerberus.

The deals come amid active M&A activity across Europe, following recent acquisitions by Assisi Pet Care in the UK and United Petfood in Belgium.

Cotecnica

Spanish agri-food cooperative Cotecnica, owner of the Ownat brand and specializing in natural pet food, completed the acquisition of Italian premium pet food manufacturer Life Pet Care in early August.

According to the Catalan company, the acquisition is part of its international growth strategy and is expected to strengthen its competitiveness in the European pet food market by establishing a direct presence in Italy. 

“By combining dry and wet food within our offer, we will have a greater capacity to respond to the needs of distributors, clients and pet parents across different countries. This may facilitate both entry into new markets and the strengthening of our position in markets where we are already present,” Cotecnica tells GlobalPETS.

The cooperative says it will maintain the operations, brand structure and entire workforce behind Life Pet Care’s Life Natural brand. 

“Over the next 12 months, the challenge will be to identify how Cotecnica can bring additional value, how we can leverage Ownat’s broad portfolio to respond to the needs of the Italian market, and how to generate real synergies between both companies,” it adds. 

Life Pet Care, headquartered in Arezzo, posted revenue of €40 million ($46M) in 2025. In addition to Italy, it operates in the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Greece and Latvia.

Revenue expectations

Cotecnica expects the acquisition to positively impact its revenue, international sales and market position in the coming years. 

“Our goal is to turn the existing synergies between both companies into consolidated projects, taking advantage of the complementarity of our portfolios, commercial networks and market knowledge,” the company says. 

Based in Lleida, Spain, the internationally focused agri-food player has 10 member cooperatives from Catalonia, Aragon, and Castile and León. In 2025, the cooperative reported revenue of more than €169.2 million ($195.2M), up 7% year-over-year, while international markets accounted for 66% of sales in its pet food division.

Gimborn

Two companies in the cat litter space are joining forces. German player Gimborn has acquired a majority stake in Cerberus.

As part of the deal, Gimborn will integrate a production facility near Varese – approximately 630 km north of Rome – into its global manufacturing network. 

The deal expands Gimborn’s plant-based cat litter and private-label offerings while complementing its bentonite portfolio. According to the company, the strategic partnership will also enable it to manufacture plant-based products in-house, replacing its previous reliance on external suppliers.

“The segment offers attractive growth potential in Europe and internationally, driven by rising demand for sustainable, natural and high-quality pet care products. Cerberus strengthens our competitive position by broadening our portfolio and enhancing our ability to meet evolving customer needs with innovative and high-performance solutions,” says Werner Averkamp, Chief Financial Officer of Gimborn.

Company CEO Jordi Queralt adds that the partnership could create additional opportunities to collaborate with current and prospective partners and customers seeking innovative product solutions.

Established in 2015, Cerberus is an Italian manufacturer of eco-friendly litter for cats and small pets.