From farming to ingredients

The PGG Group in Spain can trace its origins back to a farm run by the Gimeno family back in 1975, where it embarked on the production of animal feed. Ten years later, at Sant Boi de Llobregat near Barcelona, the company Proteinas y Grasas Gimeno was established to produce poultry meal and fat. Due to fast development, the company moved to Ribera D'Ondara near Lleida, built a new, modern factory and created the company Pet Food Ingredients. In 2012, Farima Ind. e Com. de Subprodutos Animais, located in Brazil, also became part of the PGG Group. "As poultry by-products manufacturers, PGG Group adds value to the pet food end products and helps to maintain the environment during the process, because we produce valuable and essential ingredients," says Ricardo Carretero, sales manager at Pet Food Ingredients. "The proximity of the poultry slaughterhouses provides high-quality raw material to our manufacturing plants, which is immediately processed, resulting in high-quality poultry products. Our plant production operates seven days a week. It means that all our production is fresh and ready to use and our quality department applies controls every 60 minutes, 24 hours a day," according to Ricardo Carretero. The sales manager is also proud of the quality of the products. They contain a minimum of 60 per cent up to 80 per cent protein. "Our poultry PAP (processed animal protein is a complex of three key nutrients: protein, fat and minerals) is an important ingredient for the pet food industry final product. We care about the animal's health and it is important to use a high-quality poultry meal in the pet food feed formula."

Growing markets The company's propensity and striving to manufacture the most sustainable products possible seem to yield success. Its main markets at present are Europe, Asia and Latin America. "The advantage that the PGG Group has is its ability to export to many different countries, due to its locations in Spain and Brazil," says Ricardo Carretero. The markets still harbour great potential too, stresses the sales manager. "Poultry meal markets are growing year by year, not only in terms of quantity but also with regard to the demand for quality. The market is looking for high-value protein products from recognised…