The Czech Republic’s Vafo Group has announced it recently acquired the premises of a defunct fish cannery in Słupsk, in Poland’s northern part. The manufacturer is planning to open a new wet pet food plant there under a project estimated to be worth around €14 million (US$16 million).
In a statement, Vafo Group said the expansion project represents another step in bolstering the company’s foothold in one of its key markets in Europe. “The facility will focus on the production of pouches: portions of wet pet food packaged in flexible sachets. In its first phase, the plant will have an annual production capacity of up to 100 million units,” the statement read. “Operations are scheduled to begin by the end of 2027, and the new facility will create more than 50 new jobs.”
The new production facility will be launched on a 12-hectare site. “This investment is a natural continuation of our existing presence in the region,” said Jakub Majer, CEO of Vafo Production and a member of the board of directors of Vafo Group. “In addition to the proximity of our Carry pet food facility, our decision was strongly supported by the highly constructive cooperation with local authorities and investment institutions within the Słupsk Special Economic Zone.
“This allows us to fully leverage the synergies we have already built in the region and further expand our production capacities in Poland,” he continued.
The company said sustainability will play a major role in the project in northern Poland, as the designed facility in Słupsk will rely on “modern, energy-efficient technologies with a strong focus on energy recovery and minimizing its environmental footprint.”
As part of its Vafo 2030 strategy, the business recently split into three focused companies, responsible for branded products, private label manufacturing and production activities, respectively.
Fressnapf posts positive results driven by international expansion
European pet retailer Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo has posted positive financial results for the first quarter of 2026, reporting strong revenue growth and encouraging like-for-like development of its business in various markets across the continent.
In the first three months of 2026, the group’s revenue expanded to about €928 million (US$1.06 billion), which represented 6.6% growth compared to the first quarter of 2025.
“At the same time, due to positive sales and continued cost discipline, the adjusted EBITDA increased to €82 million [US$93.77 million], representing an increase of 15.6% compared to Q1 2025,” the company said in a statement.
Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo said the business is focused on expanding its foothold in particularly attractive markets such as France, Italy and Poland, as well as opening new outlets under its new urban store format.
The pet retailer’s robust revenue growth was primarily driven by two factors, including its on-track store expansion, with 33 new openings in the first quarter of 2026, and a positive like-for-like sales development of 4%, with particularly strong contributions from the group’s activities in Eastern Europe and Italy, according to the statement.
“We had an encouraging start into 2026, with revenue growth clearly ahead of the market and a solid increase in adjusted EBITDA,” said Florian Wieser, CFO of Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo. “This performance is driven by a step-up of our like-for-like sales performance, disciplined expansion and continued cost control. In a challenging market environment, characterized by an overall deteriorating consumer sentiment, we gained market share across key regions.”
Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo said its results for the first three months of this year demonstrate the “consistent execution of strategic priorities: clear focus on customer centricity, sustainable scaling and cost discipline.”
