What Ultra Premium Direct does

Ultra Premium Direct (legal entity Natura Plus Ultra Pet Food) is a French direct-to-consumer premium pet food company founded in 2013 and headquartered in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne. It develops and sells grain-free and low-grain recipes for dogs and cats — covering dry kibble in three ranges (Super Premium, Sans Céréales, Care), wet food (pâtées), treats, salmon oil supplements, anti-parasitics, hygiene products, cat litter, toys, and bi-nutrition packs — formulated with veterinary nutritionists and manufactured by French subcontractors under strict quality controls without artificial colorants, aromas, or preservatives.

The company operates a hybrid distribution model: an e-commerce storefront and mobile app (iOS/Android) for direct online sales, supplemented by 27 company-owned animaleries across major French cities. Pricing is publicly disclosed (€2.90 treats to €71.90 12kg premium bags) and positioned approximately 40% below comparable premium brands via a direct-factory model that eliminates intermediaries. A subscription service offers a 10% discount with flexible delivery cadence, and a recommendation guide personalizes product selection across life stage, breed size, and health need.

Revenue reached €53M in 2023 with 285,000+ active customers and 1.1M+ pets fed. Following prior ownership by Eurazeo with a 2018 growth round from Otium Capital, Ultra Premium Direct was acquired in October 2025 by UK-based Inspired Pet Nutrition (CapVest Partners) for approximately €138M, integrating UPD's DTC and retail platform with IPN's manufacturing and distribution to form a UK–France branded pet food platform.

Name

Ultra Premium Direct

Legal name

Natura Plus Ultra Pet Food

Website

https://ultrapremiumdirect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ultra Premium Direct is a French direct-to-consumer premium pet food brand (founded 2013, Agen) selling grain-free and natural-ingredient dog and cat nutrition via e-commerce, a mobile app, and 27 owned animaleries across France, with subscription pricing ~40% below comparable premium brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Pet Food

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural/Organic & Limited-Ingredient Diets (CRADAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet Food & Treats Retail (CRALAHAB), Functional & Veterinary Diet Pet Food (CRADAFAF), Wet/Canned & Pouch Food (Dog & Cat) (CRADAFAB)

Keywords

• Premium pet food
• Direct-to-consumer
• Grain-free pet nutrition
• Pet food e-commerce
• Pet retail stores

Headquarters

HQ city

Estillac

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product sales (e-commerce): Direct online sales of premium pet food (dry kibble, wet food, treats, supplements, care products) to consumers. One-time purchase model with prices ranging from €2.90 for treats to €71.90 for premium 12kg bags. Free delivery for orders over €64.
2. Subscription service: Recurring subscription model offering 10% discount on all products with flexible delivery frequency. Customers can customize product selection, quantity, and delivery schedule. Minimum engagement of two deliveries.
3. Physical retail sales: Sales through 27 company-owned animaleries (pet stores) across France offering full product range plus accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ultra Premium Direct manufactures and sells premium grain-free and low-grain pet food (dry croquettes, wet food, treats, supplements, hygiene and accessories) for dogs and cats directly to French pet owners via its own e-commerce site, mobile app, subscription program, and 27 owned retail animaleries, at prices approximately 40% below traditional retail competitors by eliminating intermediaries.

Product overview

Ultra Premium Direct is a French direct-to-consumer premium pet food company founded in 2013, acquired by UK-based Inspired Pet Nutrition in October 2025. The company offers a comprehensive pet food portfolio centered on dry croquettes (dog and cat food) in three main ranges: Super Premium (low-grain), Sans Céréales (grain-free), and Care (specific health formulas). The product line extends to wet food (pâtées), treats (friandises), supplements (salmon oil), health products (anti-parasitics, hygiene), and cat litter. The company operates a direct-to-consumer model through its e-commerce platform supplemented by 27 physical animaleries across France, offering subscription services with 10% discounts and flexible delivery. The portfolio includes specialized products for different life stages (puppy/kitten, adult, senior), sizes (small, medium, large breeds), and health conditions (sterilized, sensitive digestion, skin/coat care, urinary health). Ultra Premium Direct's business model emphasizes 'direct factory prices' offering approximately 40% savings compared to traditional retail, with products manufactured in France using quality ingredients without artificial additives. The company also operates the Fondation Ultra Premium Direct focusing on animal welfare and abandonment prevention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Croquettes chien

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% price reduction compared to comparable premium pet food products
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inspired Pet Nutrition (IPN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025UK-based Inspired Pet Nutrition completed acquisition of Ultra Premium Direct from Eurazeo and other shareholders. The deal combines UPD's e-commerce and retail operations with IPN's manufacturing scale and distribution network, creating a major independent and international branded pet food platform across UK and France.
• Fidèle ParisminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2024Collaboration on limited edition dog collars and leashes. Partnership combines Ultra Premium Direct pet accessories with Fidèle Paris design.
• 3677 SOS Maltraitance AnimalecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Foundation supports the national animal cruelty hotline. The 3677 line centralizes alerts for faster response by animal protection associations, law enforcement, and veterinary services.
• Mission Protection (YouCare)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Annual field mission program combining animal protection actions with wildlife conservation. Previous editions covered La Réunion island, Marseille, Jura mountains, Basque Country. Includes shelter donations, sterilization programs, and wildlife protection.
• Label 1% Pour Les Animaux (YouCare)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Ultra Premium Direct commits 1% of revenue from labeled products to animal protection associations. Joined the label in 2022 and has renewed commitment annually. Label has expanded to include dog/cat treats, hygiene products, and salmon oil.
• GLS FranceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2019Partnership with GLS logistics for package delivery. In November 2025, GLS and Ultra Premium Direct distributed 100,000 meals to 30 animal shelters across France as part of a solidarity initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Edgard & Cooper: Belgium-based DTC premium natural pet food brand sold across Europe. Closely comparable to UPD on premium positioning, natural/grain-free recipes, direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, and pan-European expansion ambitions.
• Yarrah Organic Petfood: Dutch premium organic pet food brand with strong European distribution and similar natural/limited-ingredient positioning. Comparable to UPD on premium natural dog/cat food, though stronger on grocery/distribution than pure DTC.
• Lily's Kitchen: UK premium natural pet food brand (now Nestlé-owned) operating across natural, grain-free, and wet food lines. Comparable on premium natural positioning and broad dog/cat portfolio; sister brand to Butcher's under IPN/Inspired Pet Nutrition ecosystem.
• Butcher's Pet Care: UK premium natural dog food brand acquired by IPN in October 2024, now sister company to UPD under Inspired Pet Nutrition. Directly comparable product portfolio (premium natural wet and dry dog food) and now part of the same corporate platform.
• Applaws (MPM Products): Premium natural pet food brand specializing in high-meat-content, limited-ingredient recipes with strong presence in Europe. Comparable to UPD on natural-ingredient positioning and premium wet/dry cat and dog food lines.
• Carnilove: Premium grain-free pet food brand with high meat content positioning across European markets. Directly comparable to UPD on grain-free, high-protein, natural positioning and dog/cat portfolio breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Zooplus: Europe's largest online pet retailer (now owned by HelloFresh), operating across multiple European markets including France. Comparable as a DTC/e-commerce-first pet food and supplies platform, though broader assortment and not focused exclusively on owned-brand premium nutrition.
• Royal Canin (Mars): Global leader in premium pet nutrition headquartered in France and a dominant incumbent across the French market. Comparable premium positioning and breed/life-stage segmentation, though sold primarily through vet and specialty channels rather than DTC.
• Purina Pro Plan (Nestlé): One of the world's largest premium pet food brands with strong French market share across functional/grain-free SKUs. Comparable functional diet positioning and broad dog/cat portfolio; competes with UPD on advanced nutrition at a higher price point.

Regional players

• Maxi Zoo / Fressnapf: France's largest specialty pet retail chain with broad premium pet food assortment. Comparable as a French omnichannel pet food retailer competing for the same customer basket; not DTC-first, but a key retail channel benchmark for UPD's animalerie footprint.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DirectPremium

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ultra Premium Direct