What futalis does

futalis GmbH is a Leipzig-based German pet nutrition company that designs, produces and sells individualized dog food under the futalis brand. Founded in November 2011 as a spin-off from the University of Leipzig's Institute for Animal Nutrition under Prof. Manfred Coenen, the company operates an online "Futterassistent" configurator that calculates each dog's nutritional requirements from breed, age, activity level, weight and health conditions, then manufactures a custom ration at its Leipzig facility. The core product line centers on futalis base care (customized dry food) plus futalis additional care (wet food), futalis functional care (targeted supplements), futalis Snacks, and a set of specialized diets (grain-free, hypoallergenic, weight management, kidney, puppy, senior). All products are individually batch-produced, free from grain, soy, sugar and artificial additives, and audited to TÜV SÜD / GMP+ B8 standards.

The company monetizes through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel (futalis.de) with a subscription option ("Futter-Abo") offering free Germany-wide shipping and pay-as-you-go single orders starting at roughly €15.68 per ration (grain-free) and €19.90 per ration (hypoallergenic). A second, B2B2C go-to-market routes through more than 1,500 partner veterinary practices nationwide, which use a dedicated Tierarztlogin portal to prescribe and order therapeutic diets for patients with conditions such as kidney disease, pancreas issues, urinary crystals and obesity. The company is founder-owned by co-founders Janes Potthoff and Christian Hetke, was seed-funded in 2012 by HTGF and TGFS alongside EXIST and BMWi non-dilutive grants, and operates exclusively in Germany under the DACH footprint, employing 11-50 staff.

Name

futalis

Legal name

futalis GmbH

Website

https://futalis.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

futalis is a Leipzig-based German company that designs, manufactures and sells individualized dog food — dry food, wet food, supplements and snacks — formulated per dog based on breed, age, activity and health, sold direct-to-consumer online and via 1,500+ partner veterinary practices across Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Pet Food

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional & Veterinary Diet Pet Food (CRADAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Companion Animal Maintenance & Wellness Nutrition (HLAMAHAB)

Keywords

• Individualized dog food
• Custom pet nutrition
• Dog food subscription
• Veterinary dietary products
• Personalized dog nutrition

Headquarters

HQ city

Leipzig

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individualized Dog Food Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of customized dry food, wet food, functional supplements, and snacks for dogs. Revenue generated through one-time purchases and subscription (Futter-Abo) model with recurring deliveries. Subscription model offers free shipping within Germany.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

futalis sells individually customized dry and wet dog food, functional supplements, snacks, and specialty diets (hypoallergenic, grain-free, overweight, kidney, puppy, senior), with each ration calculated for the specific dog via the Futterassistent online tool. Products are formulated with veterinarians at the University of Leipzig and manufactured in-house in Leipzig, then delivered directly to dog owners across Germany, primarily through a recurring subscription model (Futter-Abo) with free shipping.

Product overview

futalis offers a platform of personalized dog nutrition products centered around individualized dry and wet food formulations calculated based on each dog's unique nutritional profile. The core offerings include futalis base care (customized dry food), futalis additional care (wet food), and futalis functional care (health-supporting supplements). These are complemented by futalis snacks (treats), specialized diet formulas for allergies, grain-free, overweight, kidney conditions, puppies, and seniors, plus a subscription delivery service. The ecosystem is supported by an online food calculator (Futterassistent) that determines optimal rations, and extends to dog accessories. All products are manufactured in Leipzig, Germany, with formulas developed in collaboration with veterinarians from the University of Leipzig.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• futalis base care (Trockenfutter) Individually customized dry food tailored to each dog's nutritional needs based on breed, age, activity level, and health conditions, formulated by veterinarians at the University of Leipzig and manufactured in Leipzig for dog owners across Germany.
• futalis additional care (Nassfutter) Palatable, highly digestible wet food designed to complement the individualized dry food plan, available in various protein sources including pork, beef, and horse meat.
• futalis functional care (Funktionale Ergänzungen) Functional food supplements supporting specific aspects of dog health including coat, joints, cardiovascular system, and dental health, complementing the individualized ration plan.
• futalis Snacks (Leckerlis) High-quality, healthy dog treats and snacks available in various protein sources, designed for rewarding and training purposes as a complement to the individualized futalis ration.
• futalis Hypoallergenic Dog Food Hypoallergenic dog food for dogs with food allergies, using only one protein source and free from grain, soy, sugar, gluten, artificial flavors, and preservatives, priced from €19.90 per ration.
• futalis Grain-Free Dog Food Grain-free dog food using sweet potatoes, potatoes, and pumpkin as highly digestible carbohydrate sources, suitable for dogs with grain allergies, priced from €15.68 per ration.
• futalis Spezialfutter (Special Diet Range) Specialized diet formulas for dogs with specific health conditions, including diet food for overweight dogs, puppy food, kidney diet, senior food, and intensive care Low Fat, available individually or via veterinary referral.
• Futter-Abo (Subscription Delivery Service) Recurring subscription service delivering individually calculated futalis food rations to customer addresses throughout Germany with free shipping, no minimum contract duration, and cancellation possible anytime up to one day before the next production begins.
• Hundezubehör (Dog Accessories) High-quality dog accessories including bowls, food scales, leads, collars, grooming products, medical supplies, and toys selected by veterinarians, sold alongside the individualized nutrition range.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150,000 dogs served since founding in 2011
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Universität Leipzig – Institut für Tierernährung, Ernährungsschäden und DiätetikcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2011Under the leadership of Prof. Coenen, veterinarians at the Institute for Animal Nutrition developed the futalis nutrition concept in 2011. futalis was subsequently spun out as an independent company from the university. The institute provided scientific foundation and ongoing research support.
• VDH (Verband für das deutsche Hundewesen)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2011Independent breeders from VDH participated in testing the new nutrition concept during development. Various breeds with years of breeding experience tested the food in long-term studies contributing to continuous improvement of the dry dog food formula.
• SMILE.Medibiz – Selbst Management Initiative LeipzigminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2011A cooperation project supporting founders from biotech, medical technology, and health services sectors. SMILE.Medibiz supported futalis with scientific exchange and network building, providing connections to the broader Leipzig innovation ecosystem.
• Over 1,500 Partner Veterinary PracticesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMore than 1,500 veterinary practices across Germany cooperate with futalis, prescribing and recommending individualized therapeutic diets. Practices have access to a dedicated portal for ordering products for their patients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal Canin: Royal Canin (Mars Petcare) is the global leader in breed- and life-stage-specific dog and cat nutrition, with a strong veterinary therapeutic diet portfolio. It is the most direct competitor to futalis's individualized, science-driven positioning, though at vastly greater scale and with broader distribution.
• Hill's Pet Nutrition: Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive) is the dominant veterinary-recommended therapeutic diet brand globally (Prescription Diet, Science Diet). It competes directly with futalis in vet-channel prescription nutrition for kidney, weight, and gastrointestinal conditions.
• Terra Canis: Terra Canis is a Munich-based premium German dog food brand specializing in natural, biologically appropriate raw and cooked menus with veterinary nutritionist involvement. It competes with futalis in the premium German D2C dog food segment with a similar health-and-nature value proposition.
• The Farmer's Dog: The Farmer's Dog is a US-based personalized fresh dog food D2C subscription brand that calculates portion sizes and recipes based on individual dog profiles. It is the closest model for futalis's individualized D2C subscription concept, serving as a benchmark for US scaling.
• JustFoodForDogs: JustFoodForDogs produces fresh, whole-food, personalized dog diets formulated by veterinary nutritionists and sold direct-to-consumer and through veterinary clinics. Its veterinarian-formulated fresh food D2C + vet channel model closely mirrors futalis's positioning.
• Ollie: Ollie is a US-based personalized fresh dog food subscription brand that builds meal plans based on breed, age, weight, activity level, and health goals. It competes head-to-head with The Farmer's Dog and serves as a comparable D2C personalization benchmark.

Regional players

• Happy Dog (Interquell): Happy Dog is a German premium dry dog food brand sold through pet retail and vet channels with breed- and life-stage-specific product lines. It is a regional incumbent competing in the same premium German dog food segment as futalis but without individualized formulation.
• Josera: Josera is a German family-owned pet food manufacturer producing premium dry dog and cat food with breed- and life-stage-specific lines. It serves the same German premium pet food market as futalis but competes on standardized products and broader retail distribution.
• Bellfor: Bellfor is a German D2C brand selling natural, grain-free dog food and supplements with a health-and-wellness positioning. It competes with futalis in the German premium natural dog food segment with an overlapping customer profile.
• AniForte: AniForte is a German natural pet care brand selling nutritional supplements, treats, and specialized dog and cat food via D2C. It is comparable to futalis's functional care and special food lines within the German natural pet wellness segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@futalisgmbh5986/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/futalis
• Instagraminstagram.com/futalis.de
• Pinterestpinterest.de/futalis
• TikToktiktok.com/@futalis.de
• Xx.com/futalis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/futalis-gmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 futalis