VAFO grows health and nutrition portfolio with Pezz life investment, Sam’s Field launch

Czech pet food manufacturer VAFO Group is expanding across Europe through a strategic investment in an Austrian company and the roll-out of one of its brands in the UK and Ireland. 

Strategic investment

VAFO has acquired a minority stake in Pezz life, an Austrian pet health diagnostics company, as it expands its presence in the preventive pet health space. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

PEZZ life’s testing technology covers a broader range of health markers than Biome9, the at-home gut microbiome testing business VAFO acquired through its pet food brand Pooch & Mutt last year. 

Timo Pärssinen, Commercial Director and Board Member of VAFO Group, tells GlobalPETS that Pezz life and Biome9 together will give VAFO “a much fuller picture of an individual pet’s health – from gut microbiome to other key indicators – that we can potentially combine into a more comprehensive testing offering.”

Company synergies

Shortly after the investment, the companies started work on a joint business plan to map out these synergies in detail.

VAFO also sees the potential in connecting testing insights with tailored nutrition across its portfolio of pet food brands, Pärssinen adds. “The better and more validated health data we have on pets, the better we can tailor and develop our products to actually meet their needs. This investment strengthens that data foundation as much as it does our product offering,” he says.

Beyond these synergies, VAFO plans to expand Pezz life across Europe and leverage its network of more than 90 distribution partners globally to support its entry into markets outside Europe.

Previous acquisition

In August, VAFO acquired Pets Deli, a German pet food brand with a direct-to-consumer (D2C) business and an Amazon presence. The acquisition will strengthen VAFO’s direct-to-consumer capabilities and expand its premium, health-focused pet nutrition offering.

Pets Deli’s portfolio includes wet and dry food, raw feeding products, snacks and supplements for dogs and cats.

UK expansion

Sam’s Field, one of VAFO’s pet food brands, has launched in the UK and Ireland through an exclusive distribution partnership with BSB Products, which also distributes the group’s Carnilove brand in both markets.

According to Michal Vinický, CEO of VAFO Private Labels, the move gives Sam’s Field a presence in one of the world’s most developed pet food markets. “For us, the presence in the market is to prove our brand against the most demanding consumer base and also gain direct consumer insight to develop our brand and offer new products,” he tells GlobalPETS.

Sam’s Field offers premium wet and dry food for dogs and cats, as well as treats. The brand is currently sold across European markets including Czechia, Scandinavia, the Benelux, Greece, France and Poland, and is also available outside Europe, including in South Korea.

Company performance

Last year, VAFO reported sales of €676.3 million ($770M). By 2029, it is targeting revenue of €1 billion ($1.2B), following a recent restructuring that split the group into 3 entities: VAFO Praha, VAFO Production and VAFO Private Labels.