United Petfood buys 50% stake in Germany’s SmartPetPro
Bottom line
United Petfood, the Belgium-based private-label petfood manufacturer, said on July 15, 2026, that it has acquired a 50% stake in SmartPetPro, a German producer of premium wet petfood. Financial terms weren't disclosed. The companies described the deal as a long-term strategic partnership: United Petfood expands its position in Germany and adds more premium wet-food capacity, while SmartPetPro gains access to broader international resources and customer reach. SmartPetPro CEO Lars Oehlmann will remain in place, and co-founders Stefan Pfannmöller and Erich Herrmann will stay involved. The companies also said the partnership supports further expansion at SmartPetPro’s production site in Dessau-Roßlau, Germany. (smartpet.pro)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the deal is another sign that premium wet nutrition, private-label manufacturing, and European consolidation remain active themes in pet food. United Petfood already operates a large international private-label network, with products sold in more than 95 countries, and has been on an acquisition streak spanning wet, dry, and geographic expansion. Industry coverage has also pointed to renewed pet food M&A interest in 2026, especially around premium nutrition and consumables. That matters because manufacturing scale and formulation capability often shape which products reach clinics, specialty retail, and pet parents, particularly in fast-growing wet and premium segments. (unitedpetfood.eu)
What to watch: Watch for whether United Petfood uses the SmartPetPro partnership to broaden premium wet private-label offerings in Germany and beyond, and whether the Dessau-Roßlau site announces new capacity or customer programs in the coming months. (smartpet.pro)
United Petfood has bought a 50% stake in SmartPetPro, giving the Belgium-based manufacturer a deeper foothold in Germany’s premium wet petfood market at a time when European pet food companies are again showing more appetite for strategic deals. The transaction, announced July 15, 2026, was framed as a long-term partnership rather than a full takeover, with SmartPetPro’s leadership team staying in place and financial terms undisclosed. (smartpet.pro)
The move fits United Petfood’s broader expansion pattern. The company describes itself as a private-label producer of dry and wet petfood and treats, exporting to more than 95 countries. Waterland, its private equity backer, said earlier this year that United Petfood had 25 factories across Europe, the United States, and Turkey, with 2024 revenue above €1.3 billion. Trade coverage this year also highlighted additional United Petfood expansion in Canada, following earlier acquisitions tied to wet production, dry capabilities, and new geographies. (unitedpetfood.eu)
According to the announcement posted by SmartPetPro, the partnership is meant to combine SmartPetPro’s premium wet-food expertise with United Petfood’s scale, customer network, and international resources. United Petfood said the deal strengthens its position in one of Europe’s most important petfood markets and expands its premium wet offering. SmartPetPro said the arrangement will help accelerate growth while preserving its entrepreneurial identity. The companies also said the agreement creates a foundation for continued expansion of SmartPetPro’s production site in Dessau-Roßlau. Lars Oehlmann will continue as CEO, while co-founders Stefan Pfannmöller and Erich Herrmann remain involved. (smartpet.pro)
That strategy lines up with wider market signals. PetfoodIndustry reported last week that pet food M&A may be rebounding in 2026 after a quieter period, with buyers focusing on premium nutrition, cat food, and other consumables. Separate industry analysis citing Euromonitor trends described Europe as a market where premiumization continues even as consumers stay price conscious, and where private label is borrowing more premium cues. Germany-specific market research summaries also point to a resilient but more selective market, with private label still influential and premium formats still viable. (petfoodindustry.com)
Direct expert commentary on this specific transaction was limited, but the companies’ own statements make the rationale clear. United Petfood founder Dominiek Dumoulin said SmartPetPro had built “an impressive business” with deep premium wet-food expertise and a strong German reputation, while CEO Dries Eeckhout said the deal combines local entrepreneurship with international scale. SmartPetPro CEO Lars Oehlmann said the partnership should help accelerate growth without changing the company’s entrepreneurial approach. Those comments are consistent with the current European pet food playbook: preserve specialized local know-how, then add scale, distribution, and manufacturing investment around it. (smartpet.pro)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this isn’t just a corporate finance story. Consolidation among private-label and contract manufacturers can affect product availability, formulation breadth, and the speed at which premium wet diets and adjacent products move into the market. While SmartPetPro appears focused on mainstream premium wet petfood rather than therapeutic veterinary diets, manufacturing expansion in wet formats is still relevant to clinics because pet parents increasingly seek texture, palatability, portioning, and premium-positioned nutrition options, especially for cats and for pets with feeding challenges. In practice, deals like this can strengthen the supply side behind the products clinics discuss every day, even when the clinic never sees the manufacturer’s name on-pack. That last point is an inference based on United Petfood’s established private-label model and SmartPetPro’s own positioning around customer brand development. (unitedpetfood.eu)
There’s also a broader competitive implication. Germany is one of Europe’s most important pet food markets, and wet food remains strategically important because it intersects with premiumization, cat nutrition, and private-label innovation. A shared-control structure suggests United Petfood wants access to capability and market position without disrupting SmartPetPro’s operating model. If the partnership leads to faster plant expansion or broader contract manufacturing reach, competitors in European premium wet food may face more pressure on both capacity and customer service. (smartpet.pro)
What to watch: The next signals will likely be operational, not financial: any announced capacity build-out in Dessau-Roßlau, new customer wins in premium wet private label, or follow-on acquisitions from United Petfood as 2026 European pet food deal activity continues to recover. (smartpet.pro)