Targeting the European market

Adolph and Rita Iwersen founded their pet product wholesale company in Haderslev, Denmark in May 1994. Having worked originally in the freight forwarding and transport industry, Adolph Iwersen foresaw good potential for further growth in the pet supplies sector and moved into it, taking his career in a new direction. In cooperation with a Norwegian wholesaler, the firm first took on the exclusive distribution of the "Lone Star" premium dry food range, which it still procures from US manufacturer Texas Farm, for the continent of Europe. Its Norwegian partner had started out with the food five years previously and remains a valued partner of Iwersen to this day. The "Cat Exclusive" cat litter and cat food lines, likewise supplied by Texas Farm Products, were soon added to the range. This segment still accounts for the major share of the company's sales and is even the mainstay of sales to Austrian customers. The opening of a German distribution office in Flensburg, run by the founder's daughters Jette and Malene Iwersen, has enabled the company to expand its exports considerably. The cat litter comes in two varieties, "Cat Exclusive Black Label" and "Cat Exclusive Gold Label". The latter is a compact litter with over 320 per cent absorbency and optimum odour-neutralising properties. Its clumping capacity makes it extremely economical to use, and its baby powder fragrance with essential oils exudes a pleasant scent. Both varieties are supplied in 10 and 15 kg bags. In its capacity as a wholesaler Iwersen distributes other leading brands especially in the Danish pet supplies market. Examples include treats, collars and leads from Hunter and the accessory products of Dutch company IPTS. "We want to strengthen the Hunter brand considerably in Denmark," says Malene Iwersen. And soon the company intends to launch an entirely new range, which will be limited to Denmark initially: aquarium sets with lighting. In general, accessory products are exhibiting strong growth at Iwersen. Wooden toys from Sweden, which were introduced last year at the DeZooFa show, are highly popular with smaller pet product businesses in particular. And these are actually the company's biggest money spinner with Swiss customers. Now the company is about to expand its range to exclusive accessories and toys for dogs and cats with its own new brand "ZIPP". "We are targeting the entire European market," says Malene Iwersen in conclusion. "We regard Germany in particular as having great…