From bull pizzle to beef sticks

One in every four euros that Jericho earns already comes from customers abroad. Its main markets are the neighbouring states of Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. As well as supplying the speciality pet product trade, the company also sells its products to big supermarket chains along with DIY stores and garden centres. In addition to its own brand "Dogtime", which is distributed primarily to the speciality trade, Jericho also offers the full range of dog treats as private label products, thereby gearing itself completely to the individual wishes of its customers. The firm markets classic products such as bull pizzle and rumen alongside innards of all kinds and specialities such as filled meat sticks and ostrich treats. Jericho's dried products are manufactured mainly in Europe, Asia and South America. Most of the products are already in dried form when they reach the company, but to ensure early detection of any attack on the products by the feared larder beetle, they are placed in interim storage for two to four weeks, pre-treated and only then packed by Jericho employees. "We thus prevent population by larder beetles and are able to guarantee our customers a high quality standard," Jericho managing director Mario Jericho explains. Jericho has a close relationship with its customers. One benefit of this is that the company is always up to date regarding current trends in the treat segment. Admittedly, Jericho is not one of the biggest players in the industry with its 15 permanent staff, but in Kassel that isn't seen as a disadvantage. "Our decision paths are short, so that we can operate flexibly in the market," comments Dieter Jericho, who is responsible with Mario Jericho for sales.As with all suppliers in the pet food segment, the dramatic drop in prices is causing a headache for Jericho too, although Mario Jericho believes that prices have now reached rock bottom. "There are signs that people are looking more closely at quality again," he says. How does a family firm like Jericho position itself in the face of price competition? "We want to offer customers added value, which can only be achieved through quality and particularly successful packaging," stresses Dieter Jericho. The company is well placed in this regard: Jericho has good contacts with packaging manufacturers and is able to meet even unusual customer requests. A critical shortage of space at Jericho's previous premises in Rauschenberg made a change of location urgently necessary…