Cats top German pet in 2022; Pet food sales top US$4.4 Bil

German pet owners kept 34.4 million dogs, cats, small mammals and ornamental birds in 2022.

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(Javier Brosch | BigStock.com)
(Javier Brosch | BigStock.com)

German pet owners kept 34.4 million dogs, cats, small mammals and ornamental birds in 2022, according to a survey of 5,000 households by the Industry Association for Pet Supplies and the Central Association of Zoological Specialists. Nearly half of all surveyed households, 46%, had at least one pet. At least two types of pets were kept in 14% of in 2022.

"The total number of pets kept in households in Germany has remained largely stable at a high level over the past few years," Norbert Holthenrich, president of the Central Association of Zoological Specialists in Germany, said in a press release.

Cats had the largest population with 15.2 million living in 24% of German households. Dogs, 44% of which were mixed breeds, lived in 10.6 million households or 21% of surveyed households.

Small animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and mice accounted for a total of 4.9 million animals in 5% of households. Three percent of households owned ornamental birds, such as parakeets, canaries and small parrots, for a pet bird populations of 3.7 million.

Germans kept 2.3 million aquariums in 4% of households with a further 1.4 million garden ponds holding ornamental fish in 3 percent of households in Germany. Reptiles, amphibians and other terrarium dwellers lived in 2% of German households to make up a population of 1.3 million terrariums.

Pet ownership demographics in Germany

Households with children kept the most pets in Germany in 2022. Sixty-seven percent of all families with children had at least one pet, compared to 34% of all single people. Overall, most pets in Germany live in multi-person households. Thirty-five percent of pet-owning households had two-people, while 36% of pet owning households were made up of three or more people in Germany in 2022. In comparison, 29% of pet owners lived in single-person households.

The age range of German pet owners has remained similar in recent years, according to survey results, with older pet owners being the largest group. In 2022, 16% were less than 29 years old, 19% were 30 to 39 years old, 18% were 40 to 49 and 21% were 50 to 59 age group. People over 60 made up 29% of German pet owners.

German pet food sales in 2022

Ready-to-eat pet food sales in Germany reached EUR 4.035 billion (US$4.441 billion). Online pet product sales hit EUR 1.203 billion (US$1,234 billion). The total turnover of the German pet industry in 2022 was therefore almost EUR 6.5 billion (US$7.15 billion).

"In the pet food sector, sales increased for the most part," Georg Müller, chairman of the Industry Association for Pet Supplies, said in a press release. “This is mainly due to the current inflation. Like manufacturers of other everyday products, producers of ready-to-eat pet food have also had to raise their prices in view of the sometimes immense cost increases in energy, packaging and logistics.”

German dog and cat food companies’ 2021 revenue

These nine Germany-based dog, cat and other pet food companies helped provide those millions of pets with food. These companies appear in Petfood Industry’s Top Company’s Current Data, but not all had 2021 revenue figures available.

Bewital Petfood GmbH & Co. KG

Annual Revenue 2021 - $US75,000,000

Bewital Petfood GmbH & Co. KG produces super premium food for dogs and cats, operating facilities for both dry and wet food. The company maximizes the percentage of fresh meat in its dry foods using current technologies. In moist food, Bewital offers a wide variety of cans as well as pouches. Main brands Belcando dog food and Leonardo cat food are sold in 50 countries spanning the globe. Parent company Bewital Group also includes an agricultural feed division and a subsidiary transportation fleet, Westrans.

Deuerer

Annual Revenue 2021 - $US750,000,000

Deuerer is a private-label manufacturer in Germany that also owns several major European pet food manufacturers, including Vitakraft, Pets Choice and Villeneuve Pet Food. The company is among Europe's largest pet food interests, with sales extending to Asia and North America.

DTC Deutsche Tiernahrung Cremer

DTC Deutsche Tiernahrung Cremer is a major animal feed manufacturer with a petfood division and a livestock division. The total company employs approximately 600 people with a sales volume of about EUR530 million. The company's 12 plants produce about 2.4 million metric tons of compound feed annually.

Gimborn

Annual Revenue 2021 - $US52,100,000

Gimborn develops, manufactures and markets premium cat and dog snacks and treats, along with clumping cat litter from its base in Germany. About 86% of the company’s revenue is generated in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Russia. Gimborn also exports to more than 40 countries. Developing markets are concentrated in Eastern Europe and Asia, including China. Gimborn also notes significant growth in online sales.

Heristo AG

Annual Revenue 2021 - $US700,000,000

Heristo AG owns the Saturn Petcare Group, which includes private-label giant Saturn Petcare and Animonda Petfood. With manufacturing plants in Bremen and Blaufelden, Germany, Hattern, Netherlands, and Terre Haute, Indiana and more than 1,000 product offerings.

Interquell

Annual Revenue 2021 - $US70,000,000

Interquell manufactures Happy Cat and Happy Dog, the second-best-selling dog food brand in Germany. The company's products are sold in more than 66 countries, and the company operates six extruders at its plant. Interquell is also involved in the production of grains for human consumption.

PetCom Tierernahrung GmbH & Co. KG

PetCom Tierernahrung GmbH & Co. KG was founded in Germany in 2006 as a subsidiary of PHW Group. It is a dry pet food manufacturer for the private-label segment, offering a range from economy to super premium products. The company uses raw materials that are GMO-free, traceable and of sustainable origin.

Rondo Food

Annual Revenue 2021 - $US186,360,000

Rondo Foods is a private-label manufacturer specializing in the production and distribution of treats for dogs and cats, operating two production facilities. Forms include extruded, dried/formed meat, injection molded, formed pockets and specialty products.

Vitakraft Pet Care GmbH & Co.

Annual Revenue 2021 - $US190,750,000

Vitakraft Pet Care develops and produces more than 2,500 branded food snacks and other pet care products for dogs, cats, rodents, birds, fish, reptiles, hedgehogs and ferrets. Acquired by Deuerer in 2013, Vitakraft works with local sales companies in 19 countries around the world to stock more than 50,000 retail locations.

Participate in the Top Pet Food Companies survey

The Petfood Industry Top Pet Food Companies project annually surveys pet food companies, always with an aim of expanding the reach and scope of the companies within the rankings. To be considered for inclusion in the yearly rankings, please contact [email protected]. The data is gathered each year through a variety of methods, including direct company contact (a survey is emailed to participating companies), in-depth research and estimates.

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