Fully focused on cat trees

Dennis Steenbakkers and Detlef Windeln, the co-founders of Petrebels, have in-depth knowledge of the pet product market. They have over 25 years' experience of the sector, latterly in purchasing for the company EBI. In 2016, they decided to go it alone and established Petrebels in March 2017. Both are well acquainted with the cat tree business, and when setting up Petrebels both were 100 per cent in agreement that the market for cat tree furniture had been dominated by run-of-the-mill products for too long. "It was clear to us that much more can be done with this product segment," the two emphasised to PET worldwide. But what? The co-founders have a clear vision for this, too: "A modern cat tree must be an integral part of a modern home design and not just a utility object that acts as a disruptive element in any interior layout."

In the retail trade, the concept presented by the two entrepreneurs, who are now supported by another six staff, was welcomed with open arms. Their products are already on sale in 30 countries. They are marketed via retailers and wholesalers, online or directly to foreign markets, including the USA, Malaysia and Singapore. The company's main markets include Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, and just recently the dynamic outfit also broke into the French market. Sales are estimated at approx. 4.2 mio euros - a sizeable volume for such a recent start-up.
It was important to Petrebels from the outset to offer products in all price categories so as to appeal to as many customers as possible. "Being a goofball and adding a dose of creativity is when you are getting somewhere. Oh and by the way, being stubborn is absolutely essential," is how the co-founders describe the successful company concept on their website. The product assortment already comprises 160 SKUs in various colours.

Based in Schijndel, south of S'Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, Petrebels designs the cat trees in house and has them manufactured in China. High quality and good stability are an imperative. The products ("hard core, soft shell") are characterised among other things by the following attributes:
•    Wood from sustainably managed forests;•    600 g plush per square metre in the colours Royal Black…