International on the rise

When a delivery from Trixie arrives at a retailer in Germany or in one of the 80 countries forming the company's export destinations, the recipient remains unaware of the structure at the heart of Trixie, the company's logistics centre in Tarp. Finding out more at first hand about this complex structure, which is to be expanded further by mid-2017, was one of the reasons why many domestic and foreign pet supplies dealers came to Tarp once again this year for Trixie's house fair. Another reason was naturally to take a look at the company's revamped product range. "In the last four years we have listed and delisted 5 000 new products in all, because we know that space is at a premium in pet stores and everyone has to keep a close eye on the figures," explains Volker Haak, managing director of Trixie. "We have focused our range primarily on the medium price segment, and so we certainly don't offer niche products, but products for which the price-performance ratio is right." 

A good price-performance ratio is not all that matters, however, according to Haak. The pet stores have to give correct advice regarding the products. "But because we know that this isn't always easy in reality, especially for pet product retailers with few staff, we want to give the speciality trade a helping hand here too." Trixie thus intends to give retailers more advice regarding the use of screens at the POS. To make it as easy for them as possible, the company is offering to take over installation in the store, along with operation and control of the software. "In addition we also have our own YouTube channel with a number of product videos that the dealer can use."

As well as films to support the company's various product spheres, new products and innovations were naturally also on the agenda at the house fair, including those in the cat agility segment. According to Claudia Menzel, head of marketing at Trixie, the new products were developed primarily for the growing number of cats that do not have unrestricted access to outdoors or have too little to distract them and so tend to develop behavioural problems. As for dogs, slalom poles or balancing bars for cats to play on featured here. New dog beds, leads and dog apparel were also presented.
A varied mix of new products was thus unveiled that many foreign retailers and marketing partners wanted to get a glimpse of - so many, in fact, that Trixie reserved a day for them in advance of the…