News

Gossip Corner
Two large themed stores with a retail area of approx. 3 000 m² in size are reported to be opening at the same time in Frankfurt in the spring. The store operators are Kölle Zoo (Fressnapf) and Welke Zoo (Sagaflor).It is reported that the Slovenian speciality chain Tukano intends to open five further pet shops in Croatia this year. The company currently operates five stores in Croatia and 14 in Slovenia. The largest, in Ljubljana, is 1 500 m² in size.Industri Kapital has sold the garden equipment manufacturer Gardena to the Swedish Husqvarna Group. The purchase price was reported by the three companies involved to be € 730 mio. In fiscal 2005/2006 Gardena had sales amounting to € 421.8 mio.There's a rumour going round that five Fressnapf XXL stores are scheduled to open in Austria in the next years, to be located in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Graz.
 
Sinclair wins export awardThe British company Sinclair Animal & Household Care Ltd has been crowned a winner in the UK Trade & Investment's Passport to Export Awards at a ceremony in Leicester. Stuart Hendry, sales director of Sinclair Animal and Household Care, said: "We're absolutely thrilled to get this award. Passport to Export has helped focus our attention on international sales and helped us appreciate the value of the export business." The company anticipates continued growth in sales to export markets, particularly in product sectors where the combination of intellectual proerty and specialist manufacturing facilities for products in niche markets enables it to offer exceptional quality and flexibility. Sinclair exports to 23 different countries, with key markets being Italy, France and Holland. Sales are also made as far afield as South Africa, Slovakia and Iceland. Key product groups include over-the-counter medicines marketed under the "Canac" brand for the control of fleas and worms in cats and dogs, and aquatic products for ornamental fish including super premium foods, water treatments and fish medicines marketed under the "King British" brand.
 
Importers warn of illegal bird importsThe European Association of Importers and Exporters of Birds and Live Animals believes that the illegal trade in birds will increase if the import ban is extended, according to a press release by the Association. It is asking the EU Commission not to extend the ban on bird imports.The rapid increase in illegal imports of wild birds poses a serious threat to the health of humans and…