VAFO targets Western Europe after organizational restructuring

In January, VAFO Group announced a restructuring, creating 3 distinct companies: VAFO Praha, responsible for flagship brands; VAFO Production, which oversees the organization and factories; and VAFO Private Labels, which will also manage smaller brands.

The division was planned over a year, primarily aiming to separate production, operations and core brands. 

“The main purpose is to have companies focused on their pure activities. It is better to have agile and smaller teams,” Milan Bartoš, newly appointed CEO of VAFO Praha, tells GlobalPETS.

The division accounts for more than 60% of the Czech pet food manufacturer’s business. 

Market goals

Their goal is to develop and strengthen their presence and market share in key locations. 

“If we want to win in at least 15 top European markets where we want to become a top brand, then we really have to invest,” he adds. 

According to Bartoš, the company’s flagship brands Brit and Carnilove brands are successful in central and eastern Europe and the Nordic countries, and the company aims to mirror this performance across the rest of the continent. 

Germany and France are among the countries where they aim to increase visibility through partnerships with retailers and distributors. 

Gaining market share 

“We want to grow in success in Western and Southwestern markets, that’s one of the most important goals. It’s not only about putting a flag into the country to sell volume, we need to be much more seen in market share, and much more active in communication,” he explains.

Brit has a wide portfolio covering dogs, cats and rodents, with fresh, premium and veterinary diets among its offerings. Carnilove, on the other hand, is more targeted to active pets, with super-premium products and unusual proteins, such as ostrich, carp, wild boar and rabbit.

According to the CEO, this difference in coverage can help the brands gain market share. 

“When you look at the market, there are different needs from distinct customer groups. And we want to have brands that will basically sit on all those needs.”

5-year strategy

VAFO Group has set a target of exceeding €1B ($1.2B) in turnover in 2029. In 2024, the group reported revenue of approximately €605 million ($723.7M).

“We also want to grow the cat portfolio because we now have a more dog-oriented portfolio,” Bartoš shares.

Additionally, the sister production company is investing in various formats to serve the group’s brands and private-label partners.

With support from VAFO Digital – an e-commerce and digital innovation division created last May – the pet food manufacturer wants to grow in online and D2C to have data about consumer preference, foster relationships, inform about nutrition and advise on pet health in general.

With this, they aim to provide retailers across markets with information to strengthen their brands.

In March, VAFO Praha will launch a “new era” of Carnilove, based on data on how owners and pets engage in activities together, such as sports and travel, and aimed at meeting customers’ expectations around responsible sourcing and charitable activities, Bartoš says. However, the CEO says he can’t provide further details.