Fressnapf Group expands global footprint

Centre, from left to right: Stefanie Petersen, Matt Simister, Torsten Toeller und Christopher Smith, Kathrin Keunecke.

The Fressnapf Group has announced the opening of its Asia Sourcing Office in Hong Kong, marking a pivotal milestone in the company’s global growth strategy. The new entity, Fressnapf Asia Limited, positions Europe’s leading omnichannel pet retailer closer to its Asian supplier base and enhances its ability to deliver innovative, high-quality, and competitively priced products in an increasingly dynamic global market, according to a press release.

‘With our new Asia Sourcing Office, we’re taking a major step in shaping the future of Fressnapf,’ said Torsten Toeller, founder and majority shareholder of Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo. ‘This move strengthens our global footprint and underlines our long-term growth ambitions.’

The company plans to use the Asia Sourcing Office as a strategic hub to improve speed to market and increase operational efficiency, according to its own information. By working directly with local manufacturers and experts, Fressnapf aims to shorten product development cycles, enhance quality assurance, and optimize packaging and content creation processes.

‘Establishing our sourcing office in Hong Kong allows us to build stronger relationships with our suppliers in Asia and to make better and faster decisions,’ said Matt Simister, CEO of Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo. ‘Our proximity to production enables us to combine agility with responsibility, ensuring our customers in all 15 markets continue to receive the best assortment at the best possible value.’

The Hong Kong office will be led by Christopher Smith, who will join Fressnapf as Managing Director in January 2026. With extensive experience in sourcing and product management from his tenure at Pets at Home Asia Limited, Smith will oversee a hybrid structure combining a central Hong Kong hub with agile teams positioned close to suppliers across the region, according to the company.

The Asia Sourcing Office is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026. During the year, Fressnapf is planning to introduce its first new products developed through the collaborative efforts of its Asian sourcing teams and European operations. ‘As we expand globally, our success depends on our ability to function as one team,’ said Simister. ‘Although more than 9,000 kilometers separate our colleagues, we share a unified vision to make our customers and their pets happier, offering products that are innovative, of good quality and accessible.’