Premium quality from the Czech Republic  

Download: Premium quality from the Czech Republic (.pdf file)Exports play a key role at Vafo Praha, accounting for 50 per cent of the company's total sales. France, Germany, Poland, Finland and Lithuania are among its most successful export markets. At this year's Glee trade show, the Czech firm presented itself to the public in the UK for the first time, and Vafo Praha has Russia and Ukraine in its sights as further new export markets. Its products are marketed only via exclusive distributors.Established in 1994 by Vaclav Fouček and Frantiŝek Bouŝka and based in Rudna u Prahy, Vafo Praha has specialised primarily in high-grade food from the outset. For the last five years it has been run by Pavel BousŠka, the son of the founder. The company now employs 26 staff and is certified as complying with both ISO 9001 and HACCP. Annual production currently runs at 13 000 t. The product portfolio focuses chiefly on the "Brit" (premium) and "Brit Care" (super-premium) brands, but the company also manufactures economy products under the "Acor" brand for dogs and "Mica" for cats. Private label business is also an important field of activity for the company, bringing in 50 per cent of its total sales.According to Vafo Praha, "Brit" is a food line that contains no soya, beef or pork, nor any genetically modified ingredients or additives. It is oriented to the animal's life cycle and comprises seven products for dogs and four products for cats. The dog products are sold in 15 kg, 8 kg and 1 kg pack sizes, while the products for cats come in 20 kg and 400 g sizes ("Kitten"),  20 kg, 2 kg and 400 g packs ("Adult Chicken", "Adult Tuna Fish") and 20 kg and 2 kg ("Light & Sensitive").The super-premium line "Brit Care" for dogs is new to the market and according to Vafo Praha is produced from entirely hypoallergenic and highly digestible ingredients such as lamb, salmon, rice and potatoes. The line consists of eight different foods oriented to the age, level of activity and breed of the dog. Vafo Praha expects this new line to raise the company's profile in Europe still further. "In 'Brit Care' we offer a super-premium food that protects the dog's system effectively against negative environmental influences," stresses export manager Martina Pastorova.