A Belgian success story

In the last nine decades, Versele-Laga has evolved from being purely a feed producer into a respected manufacturer of food and care products for pets and livestock. A key date in its corporate history was 30 December 1966, when Versele merged with the factory of Joseph Laga-Houtekier. The latter had established a food factory on the Roeselare-Leie Canal two years after Prudent Versele built his plant. Laga’s company headquarters relocated to Deinze and from this point onwards the two entities embarked on their future path in tandem as Versele-Laga. It proved to be a sound decision.

From the 1970s onwards, the company benefited from the global trend of people acquiring pets and making them part of the family. The mixed feed operations of Versele-Laga were stopped in 2019, since when the company has concentrated fully on food and care products for pets. Now Versele-Laga markets a wide range of high-quality pet food brands for cage birds, pigeons, small animals, dogs, cats, horses and livestock in 85 countries. The company says that over 25 million pets are fed daily on products from the Belgian company, which now number over 2 000 items.  

Versele-Laga is primarily a producer, meaning that more than 95 per cent of what it markets is manufactured in house. The company thus has extensive knowledge of areas ranging from the procurement of raw materials via food formulation to the production, packaging and shipping of end products. This expertise has been developed and constantly expanded in the 90 years of the company’s existence. 

Another distinguishing feature of Versele-Laga is its international span, with ten plants in Europe, China and the United States manufacturing its products for local markets. In 2011, the company opened its first production plant in China. It is also gaining a foothold in the United States with its Cavalor feed and food supplements for horses. Thanks to two acquisitions (Goldenfeast and Higgins Premium Pet Foods), Versele-Laga manufactures food for birds, small animals, pigeons and horses in the USA. 

Eleven distribution centres now deliver products for pets and livestock to the food bowl. “Our aim is to maintain global market leadership in pigeon feed and to become market leader in Europe and the USA for birds and small animals,” explains CEO Frederic Boone. “The future looks bright, as more and more families are acquiring one or more pets. At the same time, we are seeing growing interest in healthier nutrition and care.” He adopts a critical note, however, regarding legislation in Europe that increasingly regulates pet ownership as well as tightening up on the breeding and marketing of pet species.

Growing demand for the company’s products and the company’s striving for further growth necessitated the investment in a second extrusion line in the plant in Deinze. Versele-Laga launched its latest extrusion line to celebrate the company’s 90th birthday and says it is the first manufacturer worldwide to have two extrusion lines for plant-based pet food for specific families of animals: one for birds and one for small animals and horses. The extrusion processes are thus becoming more specialised, with one line being used for bird food and a separate line for high-fibre food for herbivores (small animals and horses).

Versele-Laga supports a wide range of social projects by organisations that share the company’s values, namely strengthening and protecting the unique bond between humans and pets. It engages primarily and unrestrictedly in the protection of birds thanks to its collaboration with the Loro Parque Fundación, a relationship that extends back over more than 20 years. Moreover, Versele-Laga considers it important to contribute to society and assume responsibility. A good example of this are the numerous initiatives that Versele-Laga supports, including the training school for guide dogs for the blind in Genk, Canisha (assistance dogs) and Hachiko (assistance dogs) and the Weltvogelpark Walsrode bird park. The company also backs local initiatives such as youth football and basketball teams as well as participation in track and field athletics and tennis associations.