A Bulgarian pioneer

Before the fall of socialism in 1989, there were virtually no pet shops in Bulgaria and very few dogs and cats were kept as pets. When pet owning was on the rise, however, pet products were in short supply, with only a few shops in the bigger cities dealing in aquarium fish and cage birds.

“When we opened Miazoo in 1994, we could only offer tinned food produced in Bulgaria, a few varieties of shampoo, bentonite cat litter and leather collars and leashes for dogs,” recalls company founder Ivan Antonov. In the same year he commenced production of his own leather collars, with considerable success. Up to seven employees were tasked from then on with the manufacture of dog and cat accessories from leather and faux fur.

In the early years, information regarding manufacturers and suppliers was hard to come by. Ivan Antonov began to search actively for contacts in western Europe to expand his wholesale business. He recounts: ”We made contact with Karlie in 1996 and its products were the first we were able to supply nationally. Our business premises at the time constituted a 60 m² apartment.” In 1998, the entrepreneur made his first visit to Interzoo – which proved to be a key milestone in the company’s development. The start of collaboration with Beaphar was followed by other brands such as Sera, Flexi, Animonda and Chicopee. A large warehouse covering around 300 m² had to be acquired to meet the requirements of the growing distribution company. Sons Anton and Ivaylo now also joined the business.  

At the time, the Bulgarian customs system for imports with its poorly structured provisions and regulations was a major obstacle to expanding the assortment of pet food, vitamins and care products. “The situation changed after 2007, when Bulgaria became a member of the EU,” says Antonov. Many well-known brands from the entire spectrum of pet products subsequently found their way into the Bulgarian market.  

The warehouse and offices were enlarged to 700 m². At the start of 2021, a move ensued to a 1 200 m², ten-metre-high warehouse, followed by another just two years later to the current premises covering 2 500 m². Miazoo now employs 44 people and supplies roughly 350 pet stores and veterinary clinics across the country. An average of 80 orders are readied and leave the warehouse every day. The sales team consists of eleven people including a field sales team of four. Miazoo represents over 25 brands, most of them exclusively, on the Bulgarian market. These include Piper, 4Vets, Wildfull, Barkin, Savic, Antos, Wanpy, It’s My dog, Pet Head, and Vet’s Best.  

Miazoo is also regarded as one of the first pet product companies in Bulgaria, however, to offer access to a digital wholesale platform at www.miazoo.bg. Here all its business partners can view prices, discounts and special offers and place their orders. Responsibility for digitalising and automating the business processes lies with Anton Antonov, the founder’s eldest son. Under his leadership, a new ERP system that is fully integrated into the company website is currently being implemented. “All orders are entered automatically into the integrated ERP system and are processed in the warehouse,” says Ivan Antonov with satisfaction. Anton is also in charge of business development and new products at the company.

The younger son, Dr Ivaylo Antonov, opened a veterinary clinic at the company in Varna in 2018. He has completed various specialist qualifications in ophthalmology for pets in Germany, Luxembourg and France and his clinic specialising in ophthalmological disorders is the only one of its kind to date in eastern Bulgaria.

A new focus in Miazoo’s pet supplies business is the creation of its own brands: Anipro, Clean Box, and Rolf’s Farm. Hygiene products, canine and feline cosmetics, dog treats and dog and cat accessories are currently marketed under the Anipro brand. Clean Box offers a line of cat litter made from biodegradable wood and fine bentonite, while Rolf’s Farm is a premium dog food. “The product range for these brands will grow further, with emphasis being placed on biodegradable products or those that have an environmental benefit,” comments Antonov. He intends to present and offer the principal brand Anipro to an international audience at the next Interzoo.

Importance is attached to sustainability at Miazoo. “We have created incentives for our customers to return cardboard packaging from Miazoo product deliveries. We then reuse the boxes for subsequent deliveries. For every box returned we donate 0.15 euros to a community fund devoted to the conservation and planting of new trees,” says Anton Antonov. The Miazoo team also participates in community projects such as World Cleanup Day, plastic collection, and recycling and other initiatives.