CHRÁŠŤANY, CZECH REPUBLIC — VAFO Group announced on January 31 the successful acquisition of Dagsmark Petfood, a Finnish producer of wet dog and cat food products. According to the company, the transaction firmly establishes VAFO Group as a leader in the Nordic pet nutrition space.
The acquisition will benefit VAFO’s subsidiary Prima Pet Premium, which currently operates a dry pet food manufacturing plant in Finland. The new Finnish facility was officially opened in 2023 and represents a €20 million ($21.5 million USD) investment by the VAFO Group.
“This is a strategic move for the VAFO group and especially for Prima Pet Premium, the producer of the best-selling pet food on the local market, Hau-Hau Champion,” said Timo Pärssinen, chief executive officer of Prima Pet Premium . “With Dagsmark’s wet food production, we will strengthen our position, but it also creates opportunities to expand into other Nordic markets.”
Dagsmark Petfood currently operates a wet pet food production facility in Mellilä, Finland, which is included in the acquisition. VAFO Group will maintain existing operations and workforce there, and existing products manufactured by Dagsmark will remain unchanged.
The two companies will also work together to optimize the use of local ingredients in both dry and wet pet food formulations, as well as its dog and cat treats.
“Our commitment to local sourcing and production of premium pet food for regional markets is a key pillar of VAFO’s sustainable strategy, which differentiates us significantly from our global competitors, ” says Petr Kříž, head of M&A at VAFO Group and recently appointed chairman of the board for Dagsmark. “In this context, Dagsmark, with its expertise in wet food production, is perfectly in line with our vision.”
According to VAFO Group, the addition of Dagsmark Petfood will complement its existing offerings in the Finnish pet food marketplace and expand its wet pet food productions.
“This is a very good thing for us,” added Riikka Koskenohi, CEO of Dagsmark Petfood. “With a new owner, we get additional resources, expertise, and the opportunity to invest more in development.”
The move follows several recent developments at VAFO Group aimed at expanding the company’s product portfolio, capacity, and presence in the European pet market. Read more about VAFO Group’s recent news here.
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