Stronger together

Four days, hundreds of conversations and one clear message: for Vafo Group, Interzoo 2026 was about showing the strength of a family that has grown well beyond a single brand. Throughout the exhibition, partners, customers and industry professionals streamed through the Czech manufacturer’s stand to discover new products, exchange ideas and discuss where pet nutrition is heading. Yet the moment the group itself singled out as the most important was the relaunch of its flagship label, Carnilove, which chose the Nuremberg show floor for its first business-to-business outing under a completely refreshed identity.

Launched only weeks before the fair, the rebranding marks what Vafo calls the most significant evolution in Carnilove since the brand’s debut in 2012, and it drew considerable attention at the stand. The overhaul reaches far beyond a new logo: more than 100 SKUs across dry food, wet food and snacks for dogs and cats now carry a refined visual language, a unified tone of voice and updated packaging designed to improve shelf visibility and product segmentation.

At its heart sits a new brand essence, ‘Ignite True Spirit’, which restates Carnilove’s long-held conviction that animals are independent, spirited companions whose vitality and natural behaviour deserve to be supported through species-appropriate nutrition.

The core recipe principles remain untouched – high meat content, grain-free and potato-free formulas, no artificial additives and the use of natural superfoods, with fresh meat featured in selected ranges. In addition, dry formulas and selected lines are now free from chicken meat and chicken fat, offering options for pets sensitive to chicken.

‘With this evolution, we are moving Carnilove into a clearer and more defined identity, marking the beginning of a new era for the brand,’ said Monika Kováčová, global brand director of Carnilove. ‘We are not changing who we are. We are expressing our strength with greater clarity, confidence and global consistency.’

Part of that clarity is a sharper focus on cats. As global cat ownership keeps rising and ‘cat parent’ culture gathers pace, Carnilove is expanding its cat portfolio and stepping up cat-focused communication – a strategic priority echoed across the wider group. Distributed in more than 80 countries – with a strong presence in markets such as France, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and the Baltics – the brand now enters a more focused phase of international growth under a clearly defined concept rooted in instinct.

This year’s edition was especially meaningful for another reason: for the first time, Vafo shared its stand with PetCo GmbH, which joined the Vafo family two years ago. Bringing the two teams and their portfolios together under one roof let visitors experience the breadth of the group at first hand. PetCo complemented the presentation with its flagship brands Wow, Dog’s Love and Cat’s Love, adding further premium nutrition solutions to the mix and underlining how shared expertise and a common passion for pet nutrition now run through the enlarged group.

Beyond Carnilove, the stand offered a walk through the group’s full range of brands and categories. Brit introduced several new products within its growing cat portfolio, while Pooch & Mutt showcased its Gut Health Test – a clear nod to the rising importance of preventive care and personalised nutrition. Canvit rounded out the picture with its extensive range of supplements and vitamins designed to support pets at every life stage. Together, the brands illustrated a portfolio that increasingly spans the whole spectrum from everyday feeding to targeted health and wellbeing.

One of the busiest corners of the stand was the dedicated private-label section. Accounting for roughly a quarter of Vafo’s turnover, it gave visitors a closer look at the company’s manufacturing depth. From recipe development and product formats to packaging solutions and marketing support, the exhibit demonstrated how the group helps partners bring tailor-made concepts to market through a complete end-to-end service – a capability backed by nine wet- and dry-food factories and an annual output well above 260,000 tons.

Today Vafo counts more than 1,500 people across nine European countries, serving pet owners and partners in over 90 markets worldwide. Yet despite that scale, the group’s own verdict on Interzoo was a reminder that the industry still rests on personal ties. The most valuable moments of the week, it noted, were the conversations, the new connections and the long-term partnerships that continue to shape the future of pet nutrition – a fitting takeaway for a company that chose “stronger together” as the theme of its Nuremberg appearance.