‘We’ve always wanted to be manufacturers’

Quality and craftsmanship are a top priority in Pessenburgheim, Bavaria. ‘This award shows us that we’re on the right track. Direct feedback from retailers is absolutely vital,ʻ says owner Stefan Ruisinger at the presentation of the Product of the Year 2025/26 award. The victory of 'Igel-Schmaus' in the Small Animals/Fish/Birds category could hardly be more symbolic, as one of this long-established manufacturer's clear strengths is its ability to react flexibly and promptly to change: ‘Igel-Schmaus is a long-standing favourite in our range. It is constantly revised and adapted in line with the latest nutritional findings and the wishes of the community, which plays a particularly major role when it comes to wild animal feed and pays close attention to detail.ʻ

‘Following the last major and very intensive relaunch, we entered the product with its new grain-free recipe into the competition and actually won,ʻ explains Carola Schrettle, who has worked at JR Farm for 13 years.

‘It all began in 1990 with my parents, who were traditional dairy and arable farmers. Senior partner Herta Ruisinger remains one of the company’s creative minds to this day and has driven the company forward with many of her ideas,ʻ explains Ruisinger. Since the company’s first appearance at Interzoo in 2004, there has been no slowdown in the growth of branded and own-brand products. ‘We still maintain good relations with many retail partners who we acquired via the phone book in the early days,' he adds.

Today, the founder’s son looks back on a range of 500-600 JR products and around 1,400 private-label products, which his medium-sized company with over 250 employees, many of whom are from the region, produces.

‘We’re established across the EU. We have wholesalers everywhere and even supply private labels as far as the USA and Asian markets. Future development is set to head towards South America.ʻ

Thanks to a steady stream of new warehouses and restructuring measures, not to mention the warehouse with an adjoining administration block that opened in 2023, the small animal specialists are well-positioned for the future. 'This allows us to work the way we want to – and need to!' The 5,700-square-metre warehouse, which has space for almost 6,000 pallet bays, enables pre-production for both summer and winter, and there is room for new developments and existing product ranges.

‘We’ve always wanted to be manufacturers – that’s our strength.ʻ This is how the JR Farm team drives product development forward. They know the machinery and products inside out, and new ideas can be put into practice within days.

A key hallmark is the focus on craftsmanship: much of the packaging has always been done by hand in production, and this is set to continue.

‘Producing this level of quality in Germany is unique and cannot be replaced by machines.ʻ This flexibility is only possible as a manufacturer and is reflected in specific blends or packaging.

'We aren’t tied to a set number of silos. We can pack dandelion leaves whole by hand, for example, setting ourselves apart from the competition with the quality that customers have come to expect from us.'

One of the latest products is Farm Crunchies, a snack for dogs with a particularly high vegetable content. Interzoo was a leap of faith – and the feedback was very positive. JR Farm is well aware that the dog snack sector is a market of a different scale to the one it is familiar with, which is why its core competence here lies entirely in dried vegetables. ‘With these products, we focus less on external factors and more on ideas, in the sense of the daily portion of vegetables for dogs,ʻ explains the head of marketing.

Among the trends that have persisted over the decades are the pellet-free ranges and the complete dog food ‘Complete Farm Food’, which was presented for the first time in Nuremberg and consists entirely of natural raw materials and impresses with its natural recipe.

‘Every decision I make is considered in the long term,ʻ says Ruisinger, who always weighs things up for the benefit of his company – a typical trait of a successful medium-sized family business. Admittedly, quality standards are getting ever higher, but also ever better. Even in times when business is going well, JR Farm reinvests to build up a buffer – it has never just been about a quick profit.

The specialist has noticed a reluctance to buy, as retailers switch from branded products to own-brand items, and as product ranges shift in the retail sector. Yet he still has no cause for complaint: 'The peak caused by the pandemic has returned to normal, yet we are currently at pre-pandemic turnover levels – in other words, significantly higher than the overall market performance.'

The two do not view the overall market negatively, but find it difficult to assess. Keeping small pets is often cheaper than keeping dogs and cats, which could be an advantage for the segment.

‘We have a broad portfolio, we operate internationally in-store and online, and this allows us to make adjustments. We are well-positioned for the long term,ʻ Ruisinger concludes.

This is the long version of the article from the print edition of PET worldwide 4/2026.