Announced 15 July 2026: United Petfood, the Belgium-based private-label pet-food manufacturer, has acquired a 50% stake in Germany’s SmartPetPro, a premium wet pet-food producer based in Dessau-Roßlau. Financial terms were undisclosed. SmartPetPro’s CEO and co-founders remain involved; the Dessau-Roßlau site will expand under joint investment.
Context of the united petfood smartpetpro
United Petfood, backed by Waterland, operates 25 factories across Europe, the US and Turkey, with 2024 revenue above €1.3B and exports to 95+ countries. Premium wet food remains the strategic battleground in European pet, and the ‘50% stake + retain founders’ structure is becoming the 2026 template for premium pet-food M&A — a structural challenge to Mars, Nestlé Purina and Royal Canin at the specialty retail tier.
Sources
- United Petfood acquires 50% stake in SmartPetPro — United Petfood
- United Petfood acquires 50% stake in SmartPetPro — Petfood Industry
