he leading Czech producer of premium and super-premium pet food and one of the fastest growing manufacturers of treats and supplements for dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, fish and exotic animals VAFO Group entered the Finnish market in 2020 through the successful acquisition of the Finnish leader in the production and distribution of pet food and pet products Prima Pet Premium Oy. Prima Pet Premium previously produced wet food in Estonia and was also active in Sweden. The production of the flagship brand Hau-Hau Champion, the first ever completely carbon neutral brand in the VAFO Group portfolio, is being re-established with a new factory and is being relocated from the Czech Republic to northern Europe.

The plant is located in a business park based on the Kolmenkulma Eco3 bio and circular economy and uses state-of-the-art technology in production with an emphasis on environmental friendly approach. In Nokia, Finland, the VAFO Group, through its subsidiary Prima Pet Premium, uses a packaging system that is unique in the pet industry, when each individual package is made from recyclable film, even for the largest 15 kg packages, right at the plant. This year, the VAFO Group will also begin using these recyclable packaging options for its flagship brand Brit Care, which is distributed to more than 80 countries on four continents.

The acquisition of the subsidiary Prima Pet Premium cost the Czech owner €30 million and the investment in the new state-of-the-art plant more than €16 million, representing one of the highest financial operations ever undertaken by a Czech company in Finland. The current production capacity of 20k tonnes of dry food can be tripled in the future. The total annual production of pet food for the entire group exceeds 200k tonnes and the total annual sales amount to €350 million.