Romania's poultry meat producer Transavia has unveiled plans to invest €150 million (US$157.5 million) in a new pet food production facility, aiming to launch manufacturing activities in the second half of 2026.
The factory will have production capacity to feed more than 11 million dogs and cats with dry and wet pet food per year. The manufacturing facility will be located in Ciugud, in Romania's western Alba county.
"We are entering an important strategic stage that will allow us to continue our mission of doing things the right way and offering safe, high-quality products," said Ioan Popa, chief executive and founder of Transavia. "For us, expanding into pet food is not a change of direction, but a natural continuation of our way of working — responsibly, correctly and with care for everything around us."
Popa said the project will be the largest pet food manufacturing investment in the Romanian market.
"The new division marks a strategic milestone in the company's development and naturally complements the integrated model that defines the Transavia brand," the company said.
The new pet food factory will be powered by renewable energy supplied by photovoltaic panels with 12 MWp of installed capacity, equivalent to the annual electricity use of around 5,000 households, combined with energy storage systems.
"The facility will include high-performance filters and its own wastewater treatment plant, and all in-plant handling will be performed by electric, zero-emission equipment," Transavia said. "Fully digitized, automated and robotized, the plant will operate continuous flow, from production and packaging to logistics, ensuring international competitiveness. The line will automatically feed itself with the required raw materials, packaging, labels and printing inks, performing efficiently up to palletization."
Established in 1991, Transavia is a family-owned company with approximately 2,300 employees.
Italian pet retailer expands through acquisitions
Italy's pet retailer Arcaplanet has announced it is developing its foothold in the domestic market by acquiring three rival pet store brands — Hobby Zoo, Green Pet and Miele Srl — which operate outlets in the Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige and Marche regions.
"This strategic acquisition adds 10 new stores to the network, further strengthening the company's growth strategy and its presence as a key player in the Italian pet care market," Arcaplanet said, describing itself as a company "with more than 2.6 million loyal customers and an existing network of more than 600 pet stores nationwide."
The value of the three deals was not disclosed.
"The three companies are characterized by their solid presence and specialization in the pet sector," the company said. "Specifically, the transaction includes the acquisition of the five Hobby Zoo stores located in Veneto (Belluno, Feltre, Agordo, Sedico) and Trentino-Alto Adige (Fiera di Primiero), the Green Pet store in Veneto (Verona) and the four Fidomania stores of Miele Srl in the Marche region (Pesaro Flaminia, Pesaro Della Robbia, Pesaro Largo Ascoli, Fano)."
The acquisitions reflect the company's continued growth in the Italian market. In the past year, Arcaplanet opened 43 new stores. The company's 2024 turnover reached approximately €676.36 million (US$710.2 million).
