Page 10 - PET worldwide issue 1/2021

News

Ferplast acquires Marchioro Pet Valu winds downs US operations

Ferplast acquired its former compet- company emphasises. It will make The American pet retailer Pet Valu Advertisement
itor Marchioro from the Marp Group Ferplast the largest manufacturer will close all of its 358 stores and
.de
at the end of 2020. With the pur- of accessories for pets in Europe. warehouses across the US and .de
chase, Ferplast also acquired the Last year, Ferplast increased wind down operations at its Penn- ... natural healthy!
plant, machinery and moulds. For its turnover by 12 per cent com- sylvanian headquarters. The com-
Ferplast, this acquisition is "a stra- pared to 2019. Around 85 per cent pany announced on its website that Pet Valu said that its US shut-
tegic step of great importance", the of sales were generated abroad. the company’s online shop is no down plans do not affect its 600 or
longer available. so stores in Canada. The US stores
Jamie Gould, Pet Valu’s ap- were licensing the Pet Valu brand
pointed chief restructuring of- from the Canadian operation.
ficer, said in a news release that As the pandemic fuelled a pet
the company’s stores “have been boom across the US, many experts
significantly impacted by the pointed out that the pet business
Covid-19-related restrictions. Af- seems to be resilient against the
ter a thorough review of all avail- pandemic. The increasing de-
able alternatives, we made the mand in pets led to higher sales
difficult but necessary decision for retailers like Petco, PetSmart
to commence this orderly wind- and the e-commerce pet retailer
down.” Pet Valu operates most of Chewy. Obviously the pet boom
Ferplast has its headquarters in Castelgomberto, near Vicenza.
its stores across the Northeast was not enough to save Pet Valu
and Midwest of the US. US, however.
New show date
Vetreska secures financing
The Spanish pet supplies show which is postponing its event in
Iberzoo & Propet in Madrid was due the annual calendar, in order to Pet lifestyle company Vetreska
to take place from 4 to 6 March. guarantee mobility and support will be receiving 20 mio dollars
A postponement to 17 to 19 June the needs of sector profession- in Series B financing from pri-
was announced in autumn 2020. als and companies, providing a vate equity funds firm Clear Vue
The organisers hope to avoid safe event environment, and a fa- Partners to accelerate its brand
the impact of the coronavirus vourable economic context that building and international market
pandemic with this postpone- will offer better business success expansion.
ment, saying “We have laid out guarantees for both exhibitors Vetreska's two founders en-
the details of this new edition, and visitors.” tered the Chinese pet industry in
2017 with its luxury cat products
PetSmart parts with Chewy that range from food to fashion
and furnishings. Targeting a
In April 2017, the PetSmart pet store of all its shares, Chewy will cease to specific market of young, single With the new financing, Vetreska
chain acquired online retailer Chewy. be a subsidiary of PetSmart. Chinese female pet (mainly cat) co-founder Donald Kng wants to
expand the network in global
Now the two companies are to part The magazine report specu- owners from urban centres, Ve- markets and seek crossover
ways again, according to the online lates that, as separate compa- treska made short work of the collaborations with consumer
industry magazine Petfood Industry nies, Chewy and PetSmart may market by earning 9.5 mio dol- brands.
News. It reports that PetSmart in- be better equipped to manage the lars in sales and 720 000 dollars and has since expanded into Ja-
tends to sell, directly or indirectly, all changing needs and demands of in profit in its first year. In 2019, pan, South Korea, New Zealand,
the ordinary shares that it currently pet owners during the coronavi- the company made 30 mio dol- Canada, Australia and the United
holds in Chewy. Once it has disposed rus pandemic. lars with 2 mio dollars in profit States.

10 PET worldwide 1|2021

PWW2021-01_Buch.indb 10 12.02.2021 13:03:16