CHRÁŠŤANY, CZECH REPUBLIC — Pet food manufacturer VAFO Group announced an ownership agreement with Lupus Foder AB, a Swedish wholesaler of pet food products. The agreement gives VAFO a majority stake in the wholesaler.

Founded in 1994 by Inge Larsson and Jan-Christer Andersson, Lupus Foder is a family-owned wholesaler that sells most of its products under its FourFriends label. The company’s products include pet food, chews, treats/snacks and other pet supplies. Headquartered in Västerås, Sweden, Lupus Fodder’s pet products are sold in more than 700 retail locations, including omnichannel chains and veterinary clinics.

VAFO has worked with Lupus Foder for more than a decade. The ownership agreement will allow VAFO to strengthen its leading position in the Scandinavian pet market. The company will take over production of Lupus Foder’s FourFriends brand, manufacturing the pet products at its various factories.

Tobias Andersson, Helena Hallström and Svante Larsson, successors of Lupus Foder, will maintain a minority stake in the company and will also remain in their management positions.

The acquisition is expected to further advance VAFO’s sales, which amassed more than €400 million (nearly $440 million USD) in 2022. Based in the Czech Republic, the company has subsidiaries in Finland, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Britain, France and Estonia. VAFO primarily produces and distributes private-label and self-branded pet foods, including dry and wet diets, treats/snacks and supplements for dogs, cats and other small pets. The company’s nine manufacturing facilities produce nearly 200,000 tons of pet food annually.

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