HONG KONG — In late Mach, H&H Group announced that it had launched Zesty Paws into the UK pet market, significantly expanding the brand’s international footprint.

“We’re thrilled to be expanding our Zesty Paws range into Europe, further realizing the company’s vision of being recognized as a global leader for the health and wellness of pets and giving pet parents the tools to optimize their pet’s holistic health,” said Rafi Kalachian, who was recently appointed chief executive officer of H&H Group North America.

Founded in 2014 and based in Florida, Zesty Paws offers high-quality, functional products for cats and dogs. In August 2021, the brand was acquired by H&H Group, which followed H&H Group’s acquisition of Solid Gold in 2020.

According to research from Euromonitor International, the global pet food and supplement market is currently worth about $123 billion and is expected to continue to grow. With this in mind, H&H Group has decided to expand Zesty Paws into the United Kingdom, meeting global consumer demand for functional products supporting pet health and wellness.

“Looking at the UK specifically, the country has the third largest number of pets following the United States and China, with 35% of UK pet owners agreeing that supplements are the most efficient way of delivering functional benefits to pets, reflecting the desire for these products [according to market research firm Mintel],” said Mike Rondas, chief executive officer of H&H Group Europe.

“Following the pet ownership boom which we saw occur during the pandemic, pet ownership continues to persist, alongside a growing demographic of older pets who require specialized products for their senior needs, which Zesty Paws supplements provide,” he added.

The first Zesty Paws products to debut in the UK market are Mobility Bites in both duck and bacon flavors. The supplement bites are currently available to UK consumers via Amazon. H&H Group will roll-out more Zesty Paws products in the UK later this year.

“This UK launch is an exciting first step into European expansion for our pet nutrition and care segment and rings true to our business mission at H&H Group to make people healthier and happier, which extends to our pets and our passion for holistic pet health,” Rondas said. “We know that Zesty Paws can bring transformative supplementation to pets worldwide, bringing efficacious solutions, powered by branded ingredients and in an easy-to give soft chew format that pets love. With over 330,000 5-star ratings and reviews in the United States, Zesty Paws continues to deliver results you can see with ingredients you can trust.”

Read more global pet food and treat news from outside North America.