French business Holding Nicole, the owner of the country's pet food retailer JMT Le Royaume des Animaux, has received approval from France's competition watchdog Autorité de la concurrence to acquire local pet e-commerce company Zoomalia.
Holding Nicole owns the chain which "specializes in the retail distribution of pet products in France. The group operates a network of 123 franchised pet stores under the JMT Le Royaume des Animaux brand … as well as a purchasing center that supplies the group's stores," the watchdog said in a statement.
Zoomalia specializes in the retail distribution of pet products "through a dedicated website and a network of 39 company-owned pet stores operated under the Zoomalia brand," according to the statement.
The companies involved in the transaction "together generate a total global turnover of more than €150 million" (US$176 million), the Autorité de la concurrence said.
The value of the acquisition was not disclosed.
JMT Le Royaume des Animaux has a strong retail presence in France's northern, western and southern regions, as indicated by data from the chain's website.
Established in 2010, Zoomalia maintains a particularly strong brick-and-mortar presence in western France. Over the past years, the company has also invested in developing a portfolio of its own pet product brands that are available for purchase both online and at its stores in the French market.
"By developing its 12 exclusive brands, Zoomalia differentiates itself and offers quality products, allowing the brand to offer a quality choice for all budgets while meeting consumer expectations in terms of innovation and sustainability," Zoomalia said in a statement.
Czech pet food group rebrands ahead of product launches
The Czech Republic's Vafo Group announced that Pooch & Mutt, the group's pet food and health brand, went through an identity and packaging refresh. The effort comes as, over the course of 2026, the company is planning to launch a number of new products across meals, functional treats and additional categories.
The objective is to reposition the business as a source of dog wellbeing "for all breeds & needs," the Czech business said in a statement.
"The new positioning reintroduces Pooch & Mutt as the brand that's there for all chapters of a dog's life, from puppies through to seniors, anxious rescues to those with sensitive digestion or joint troubles," said Vafo Group. "A significant packaging overhaul has taken place to boost shelf standout and simplify shopability both in-store and online. Packs now feature color-coding by range and flavor, alongside front-of-pack functional benefits and hero ingredients, to boost transparency and make shelf navigation and cross-shopping easier."
Paul Dennison, the CEO of Pooch & Mutt, said the overhaul is designed to reinforce the brand's appeal to clients.
"For customers, the pet food world can be overwhelming, and recommendations are currently very black and white," said Dennison. "We're proud to play in the grey area, as we understand pet ownership isn't the same for everyone. Dogs (like us humans) have different tastes, and different needs and behaviours throughout their lives, which is why we offer products and advice for as many scenarios as possible."
Vafo Group completed its acquisition of Pooch & Mutt in 2023, taking over what it described at that time as one of the UK's fastest growing pet food companies.
The Czech group runs nine production facilities in Europe and owns subsidiaries in its domestic market, as well as Austria, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Poland, the UK and Estonia, according to data from the pet food maker.
