Quality made in France

“Our know-how is based on six decades of experience of creative handicraft,” explains export manager Sébastien Rager. Cani-france has been in business since 1946. With its “Bobby” brand it has made a reputable name for itself in the pet supplies sector as a specialist in leather and nylon items, bedding, coats, jumpers and other accessory products for dogs and cats. The company is highly successful with its cat and dog bedding, dog coats, sweaters and T-shirts. Based from the outset in Lille Metropolis, an area boasting a history of the textile industry in the north of France, Canifrance employs 30 people. High export quota Exports account for 40 per cent of overall sales. Bobby is active in the Middle and Far East as well as in most European countries, distributing its products via whole-salers and speciality chains. The company has its own representatives in France, Benelux and the UK to supply these markets. Because exports are a significant factor in Bobby’s business strategy, the company has its own stand at all the key European trade shows; it was present at the recent PATS Sandown show in the UK and will also attend the upcoming Zoo-mark International in Bologna. As the big increase of over 12 per cent in sales in the last year shows, the recession appears to have left barely a mark on Bobby. Only the decline in purchasing power in Spain and Portugal was noticeable to some extent. One consequence of this was that the increase in export sales of 10 per cent last year was slightly lower than the growth rate in overall sales. Bobby itself is responsible for the design of its products. “The cornerstone of Bobby quality is based on our mastery,” explains Sébastien Rager. The company’s inventive products are even created by a fashion designer from Paris. Although the company does not wish to compromise on quality, the affordability of its products for consumers is an important consideration. Although Bobby’s product range originally revolved around dogs, the cat segment has steadily increased in importance in the last few years. Each segment is now responsible for roughly half of the company’s sales. Download: Quality made in France (PDF file)