zooplus
zooplus SE is a Munich-based, pure-play online retailer of pet food and supplies serving over 10 million customers across 30+ European countries via localized webshops, a subscription program, private-label brands, and a third-party marketplace, now jointly owned by EQT and Hellman & Friedman.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersMuenchen, Germany
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What zooplus does
zooplus SE is a Munich-headquartered, pure-play online retailer of pet food and supplies, founded in 1999 and operating localized webshops in more than 30 European countries. The company serves over 10 million customers across categories spanning dogs, cats, small animals, fish, birds and horses, offering a catalog of 8,000+ brand products and 9,000+ articles alongside a private-label portfolio marketed under zooplus Originals (Rocco, Wild Freedom, Wolf of Wilderness, Purizon, Lukullus, Tigerino) and zooplus Basics. Its platform combines a transactional e-commerce storefront, a third-party seller marketplace (Marktplatz), mobile applications for iOS and Android, and subscription, loyalty and breeder programs (zooplus Abo, zooplus Club, zooPunkte, Welpenclub, Kittenclub, Züchterprogramm).
The underlying technology is a multi-country e-commerce platform with localized front-ends, supported since 2024 by a Global Capability Center in Hyderabad, India established in partnership with Infosys, and data/market-intelligence infrastructure delivered through a partnership with NielsenIQ. Distribution relies on third-party logistics partners DHL and DPD for pan-European fulfillment. Since July 2025, zooplus has been jointly controlled by private equity firms EQT and Hellman & Friedman following an approximately EUR 3.5 billion take-private transaction; the company is undergoing a restructuring program focused on efficiency and cost optimization. As an EQT portfolio company, zooplus has access to Google Cloud's AI stack including Gemini Enterprise, positioning AI-driven personalization and merchandising as an emerging capability layer on top of the existing commerce platform.
zooplus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- zooplus
- Legal name
- zooplus SE
- Website
- https://zooplus.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- zooplus SE is a Munich-based, pure-play online retailer of pet food and supplies serving over 10 million customers across 30+ European countries via localized webshops, a subscription program, private-label brands, and a third-party marketplace, now jointly owned by EQT and Hellman & Friedman.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
zooplus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Pet Retail
- NAICS
- Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)
- SIC
- Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- General Pet Supplies Retail (Multi-category) (CRALAHAA), Pet Food & Treats Retail (CRALAHAB), Pet & Animal Supplies Marketplaces (CRAFABAH)
Keywords
Where zooplus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Muenchen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
zooplus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- E-commerce Product Sales: zooplus generates revenue through direct online sales of pet food and pet supplies to consumers. Products are sold at retail prices with shipping fees, and customers can opt for subscription orders for recurring revenue.
- Subscription/Auto-ship Program: The zooplus Abo (subscription) program provides recurring revenue through regular auto-ship orders, offering customers a 5% discount on subscription items.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing with free shipping threshold |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
zooplus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
zooplus operates a pan-European online retail platform selling pet food, accessories, and care products across more than 30 countries. The company offers 8,000+ branded and 9,000+ total articles to pet owners (dogs, cats, small animals, fish, birds, horses), supported by a subscription autoship program, loyalty rewards, own-brand labels, and a third-party seller marketplace.
Product overview
zooplus operates as a multi-category online pet supplies retail platform, functioning as both a direct e-commerce retailer and a marketplace for third-party sellers. The core offering is the zooplus Online Shop, supported by a subscription service (zooplus Abo), a mobile app, and editorial content (zooplus Magazin). The company sells its own private-label brands under the 'zooplus Originals' umbrella (Rocco, Wild Freedom, Wolf of Wilderness, Purizon, Lukullus, Tigerino) alongside third-party branded pet food and accessories. Additional value-added services include loyalty programs (zooplus Club, zooPunkte), specialized clubs for puppies and kittens, a marketplace for third-party sellers, and animal welfare initiatives. The platform serves customers across over 30 European countries through localized web shops.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- zooplus Originals: Premium own-brand pet food including Rocco, Wild Freedom, Wolf of Wilderness, Purizon, Lukullus, and Tigerino
- zooplus Basics
- zooplus Abo
- zooPunkte
- zooplus Club
Products and services
- zooplus Online Shop (Core Platform) Core e-commerce retail platform offering pet food, supplies, and accessories to pet owners across 30+ European countries through localized webshops and a mobile app.
- zooplus Abo (Autoshipment Subscription)
- zooplus Originals (Private Label Brand Portfolio) Private label brand portfolio offering value-priced premium pet food including brands Rocco, Wild Freedom, Wolf of Wilderness, Purizon, Lukullus, and Tigerino.
- zooplus Basics Entry-level own-brand product line providing affordable pet supplies and food to budget-conscious pet owners.
- Marktplatz (Third-Party Seller Marketplace) Marketplace that allows third-party vendors to list and sell pet supplies through the zooplus platform, extending the assortment beyond zooplus's own inventory.
- zooplus Club (Loyalty Membership) Membership program providing additional benefits and savings for frequent pet supply shoppers.
- zooPunkte (Bonus Points Program) Points-based rewards program where customers earn points on purchases redeemable for prizes or donations to animal welfare organizations.
- zooplus Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling convenient shopping, barcode scanning, and repeat ordering features for pet owners.
- Welpenclub (Puppy Club) Specialized membership club for puppy owners providing guidance, content, and exclusive offers for new dog owners.
- Kittenclub (Kitten Club) Specialized membership club for kitten owners providing guidance, content, and exclusive offers for new cat owners.
- Züchterprogramm (Breeder Program) Partnership program for registered breeders offering exclusive discounts and benefits on bulk pet supply purchases.
- Partnerprogramm (Affiliate Program) Affiliate marketing program allowing partners to earn commissions by referring customers to the zooplus platform.
Companies that use zooplus
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
zooplus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
zooplus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NIQ (NielsenIQ)corezooplus partnered with NIQ to gain comprehensive data-driven market intelligence combining online and offline performance metrics across channels. The partnership enables zooplus to track performance, monitor competitive dynamics, identify emerging trends, and understand consumer behavior across categories and geographies.
- InfosyscoreInfosys and zooplus collaborated on AI-driven digital transformation to enhance e-commerce capabilities. Infosys helped zooplus set up a Global Capability Center (GCC) in Hyderabad, India, to support technology operations and innovation initiatives.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
zooplus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chewy: Chewy is the leading pure-play online pet supplies retailer in the US, offering food, accessories, and pharmacy products direct-to-consumer with Autoship subscriptions. It is the most direct analog to zooplus's online-pet, subscription-led model in a different geography.
- Fressnapf: Fressnapf is Europe's largest specialty pet retailer with a large store network plus online operations across many EU countries, carrying pet food and accessories across categories. It is zooplus's closest omnichannel competitor in its home market.
- Bitiba: Bitiba is an online pet supplies retailer operating in several European countries and is retained as a separate brand within the zooplus family. It is a direct peer in the same product category, sharing the same platform capabilities and supply chain.
Regional players
- Pets at Home: Pets at Home is the dominant UK pet retailer combining physical stores, grooming, and online sales of pet food and supplies. It is comparable to zooplus as a multi-category pet retailer with strong subscription/repeat purchasing dynamics, though UK-focused.
- Arcaplanet: Arcaplanet is Italy's leading pet retail chain with a strong e-commerce operation, carrying a full multi-category pet food and accessories assortment. It competes with zooplus in the Italian market with similar breadth of pet categories.
- Kiwoko: Kiwoko is a major Spanish omnichannel pet retailer with stores and online sales across Iberia. It is comparable as a multi-category pet retailer with growing e-commerce presence competing against zooplus in Spain and Portugal.
- Tom & Co. Tom & Co. is a Benelux-focused omnichannel pet retailer operating stores and online in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. It is comparable as a specialty pet retailer with multi-category assortment competing with zooplus in those geographies.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon: Amazon operates the largest online marketplace with a broad pet supplies category in Europe, competing with zooplus on selection, Prime delivery economics, and pricing across the same SKUs and customer base.
- PetSmart: PetSmart is a large omnichannel pet retailer in North America (stores plus online) with a broad assortment of pet food and supplies. It is comparable as a multi-category pet retailer and, like zooplus, has leaned into subscription and own-brand strategies.
- Petco: Petco operates a large omnichannel pet care and supplies business in the US, including online ordering, subscription auto-ship, and own-brand pet food. It is comparable to zooplus in product scope and direct-to-consumer online model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
zooplus social profiles
Digital presencezooplus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
zooplus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
zooplus subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
zooplus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
zooplus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about zooplus
What does zooplus do?
zooplus operates a pan-European online retail platform selling pet food, accessories, and care products across more than 30 countries. The company offers 8,000+ branded and 9,000+ total articles to pet owners (dogs, cats, small animals, fish, birds, horses), supported by a subscription autoship program, loyalty rewards, own-brand labels, and a third-party seller marketplace.
Is zooplus a public or private company?
zooplus is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was zooplus founded?
zooplus was founded in 1999. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is zooplus based?
zooplus is headquartered in Muenchen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does zooplus make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. E-commerce Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription/Auto-ship Program.
Who are zooplus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chewy, Fressnapf and Bitiba. Regional players are Pets at Home, Arcaplanet, Kiwoko and Tom & Co.. Broad incumbents are Amazon, PetSmart and Petco.
Does zooplus have an API?
No public API is recorded for zooplus.
What industry is zooplus in?
zooplus's product category is Online Pet Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFADAH, Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers, with a secondary code of CRALAHAA, General Pet Supplies Retail (Multi-category). Its NAICS code is 45991 and its SIC code is 5399.