Alvar Pet, a Helsinki-based pet food brand, has acquired Verkkokauppa Kivuton, an online store focusing on pet health, and partnered with Juuri Partners, a Finnish growth investor, to create the largest online store in the Nordics for pet health products. The acquisition allows Alvar Pet to combine its expertise in pet nutrition with Kivuton’s focus on pet health, offering a wide range of veterinarian-developed products and diets tailored to pets’ needs. The partnership with Juuri Partners provides Alvar Pet with growth opportunities in the premium pet products market, aligning with their mission to minimize the carbon paw print and make premium pet foods more accessible across the Nordics.
Alvar Pet, founded in 2020, is a Finnish direct-to-consumer pet food brand specializing in individually tailored dog diets designed by veterinarians and nutrition experts. The company prioritizes health, high quality, and sustainability in its product range, aiming to minimize the carbon paw print. Alvar Pet’s feeding plans are developed under the leadership of the company’s veterinarian and co-founder Henna Söderholm, utilizing an extensive database and machine learning.
Verkkokauppa Kivuton, originally a veterinary clinic, has a deep-rooted focus on pet health and offers an extensive range of specialty diets for pets. The acquisition of Kivuton by Alvar Pet and the partnership with Juuri Partners, a Finnish growth investor, are strategic moves to create the largest online store in the Nordics for pet health products, catering to pet owners who value their pets’ well-being.
Together, Alvar Pet and Kivuton form the largest online store in the Nordics specialised in pet health, offering pet owners a wide range of veterinarian-developed products and diets individually tailored to pets’ needs.
“We are excited to combine expertise with Kivuton. Originally a veterinary clinic, Kivuton has a deep-rooted focus on pet health. By joining forces, we can offer unique nutritional expertise and an extensive range of specialty diets for pet owners who value the well-being of their pets,” says Ilari Haataja, co-founder and CEO of Alvar Pet.
Juuri Partners, a Finnish growth investor, joins as a strategic partner in the company. Juuri Partners is known for its investments in ambitious, entrepreneur-driven growth companies in Finland.
“We have closely followed the development of the pet market and see interesting growth opportunities, especially in the online segment. By combining a strong brand in pet wellbeing with an online store specialised in veterinary pet diets, we’re creating a unique player in the market that caters to pet health comprehensively. We are excited to be part of this fantastic growth story together with the entrepreneurs,” says Juuri Partners’ partner, Anita Ojala. “The partnership and investment enable us to take the next step in our journey. Our cooperation has been excellent from the beginning and we share the vision of the company’s strategic development towards a leading company focused on sustainable pet well-being in Europe.”
The global pet market is estimated to grow to 500 billion dollars by 2030 (Bloomberg, 2023). Demand for individually tailored pet diets has also grown significantly. According to Alvar Pet’s database that covers over 100,000 dogs, more than half of the dogs have special needs that owners seek to address through a diet.
“Pet owners are showing increased interest in supporting the health and special needs of their pets through nutrition. Products of Alvar Pet are developed under our veterinarian’s guidance, and Kivuton offers the most extensive range of special diets in the country. Together, we aim to make individual and responsible premium pet foods more accessible to pet owners across the Nordics,” says Haataja.
Over the past three years, Alvar Pet has become one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups in the pet industry. The joint annual sales of Alvar Pet and Kivuton have surpassed 10 million euros, exhibiting a 60 percent annual organic growth rate. Alvar Pet serves more than 40,000 pet households across the Nordic countries, such as Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. The company produces its products in the Nordic region, offering a local and sustainable option in the premium dog food market.
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Originally published on ArcticStartup : Original article