Hunter

What Hunter does

HUNTER International GmbH is a privately held, family-owned German manufacturer and wholesaler of premium pet accessories, founded in 1980 in Bielefeld by master saddlemaker Rolf Trautwein and currently led by his daughter Nadine Trautwein. The company designs and produces approximately 5,500 articles for dogs and cats - centered on leather collars, harnesses and leashes, and extending to functional dog clothing, beds, care products, toys and snacks - under sub-brands including stylecats (cat-specific) and innovation lines such as the biomechanically engineered ErgoMove Pro harness system. Manufacturing is conducted in-house at the Bielefeld facility, including proprietary vegetable-tanned leather processing using olive-leaf extract and approximately 300,000 metres of leather output annually.

HUNTER operates a multi-channel go-to-market combining wholesale distribution to specialty pet retailers via its B2B dealer portal (b2b.hunter.de), around 25 company-owned and partner-operated brand stores (including a flagship HUNTER SHOP at Bielefeld HQ and locations in Central Europe opened with partner NOI), and direct-to-consumer e-commerce through wirliebenhunter.de, complemented by the myHUNTER mobile app and presence at trade fairs such as Interzoo 2026 in Nuremberg. Revenue is generated almost entirely through hardware sales - principally to B2B retailers under negotiated wholesale pricing with prepayment on first orders, alongside direct consumer transactions through branded retail - under a strict MAP and no-third-party-platform policy that protects channel economics.

The company maintains three wholly owned operating subsidiaries (HUNTER SHOP GmbH, Dogsport Heimtierprodukte GmbH, and HUNTER Hunde- und Reitsportartikel GmbH) covering consumer retail, specialist-trade field sales, and core product operations respectively, employs approximately 160 people, and pursues a "Made in Germany" craftsmanship and sustainability positioning. Strategic priorities evident in the source material include international brand-store expansion via partners, product innovation in the cat and premium-bed categories, and brand-building through animal-welfare partnerships (most recently the edogs platform cooperation launched June 2025).

Name

Hunter

Legal name

HUNTER International GmbH

Website

https://hunter.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HUNTER International GmbH is a family-owned German manufacturer and wholesaler of premium pet accessories, producing approximately 5,500 leather and textile articles for dogs and cats at its Bielefeld facility and selling them through wholesale dealers, ~25 brand stores, and direct e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Accessories Manufacturing

NAICS

Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Leather & Leather Products (3100)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Accessories & Travel Gear Distribution (Collars, Leashes, Carriers) (CRAOAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet Apparel & Accessories Retail (Leashes, Collars, Clothing) (CRALAHAM), General Pet Supplies Retail (Multi-category) (CRALAHAA), Pet Bedding, Crates & Carriers Retail (CRALAHAF), Pet Toys & Enrichment Retail (CRALAHAE), Pet Treats & Chews (AFADAFAF)

Keywords

• Pet accessories manufacturing
• Leather pet products
• Pet supplies wholesale
• Dog collars harnesses
• Pet brand stores

Headquarters

HQ city

Mittelbrüden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pet Accessories Product Sales: Sale of approximately 5,500 articles including collars, harnesses, leashes for dogs and cats, functional and fashionable dog clothing, beds, care and hygiene articles, innovative toys, and healthy snacks. Revenue generated through wholesale to retailers, direct brand store sales, and e-commerce.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HUNTER manufactures and distributes approximately 5,500 premium pet accessories for dogs and cats, including leather collars, harnesses, leashes, functional and fashionable dog clothing, beds, care and hygiene articles, innovative toys, and healthy snacks. Products are handmade at the Bielefeld manufactory from vegetable-tanned leather and other quality materials, sold through brand stores, an international wholesale network, a B2B dealer portal, and a direct-to-consumer online shop.

Product overview

HUNTER is a German pet products company offering a diverse portfolio of approximately 5,500 premium accessories for dogs and cats. The product range centers on leather goods (collars, harnesses, leashes) manufactured in their Bielefeld manufactory, complemented by functional and fashionable dog clothing, beds (including the BORMIO viscoelastic dog bed), care products, innovative toys, and healthy snacks. The company operates sub-brands including stylecats (cat products like LUNA collar and TARTU bed) and PORTOFINO (premium leather line). Key innovations include the ErgoMove Pro™ harness with biomechanically optimized design and magnetic clasps. HUNTER distributes through brand stores, a B2B dealer portal (b2b.hunter.de), and a B2C online shop, supported by the myHUNTER mobile app.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• stylecats: Cat-focused product line featuring cat collars, cat beds and cat accessories. The stylecats brand showcases products like the LUNA cat collar and TARTU cat bed.
• ErgoMove Pro

Products and services

• ErgoMove Pro™ Harness Dog harness with biomechanically optimized fit, featuring innovative magnetic clasps, soft-control shock absorber for gentle tension damping, ergonomic EVA padding with spine channel, and 5-point adjustability for perfect fit and maximum freedom of movement.
• HUNTER Collars Leather collars for dogs and cats available in various designs and materials, including vegetable-tanned leather articles and neoprene variants.
• HUNTER Leashes Leashes for dogs and cats, including adjustable training leashes and classic designs in leather and other materials.
• HUNTER Dog Harnesses Dog harnesses including performance harnesses, no-pull harnesses, and harnesses for various activities such as the ECCO SPORT Vario Rapid.
• HUNTER Dog Clothing Functional and fashionable dog clothing designed for comfort and style.
• HUNTER Dog Beds Beds for dogs including the BORMIO viscoelastic-surface bed for joint-friendly rest.
• HUNTER Care and Hygiene Articles Products for dog and cat care and hygiene maintenance.
• HUNTER Dog Toys

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000 metres of leather articles produced annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• edogscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025HUNTER partnered with edogs (leading dog adoption platform) since June 2025 to promote responsible puppy buying and animal welfare. Edogs users who find puppies through the platform receive a free HUNTER puppy box (retail value €80) containing leather puppy leash, vaccine record holder, toy, knowledge brochure, and discount voucher. HUNTER supports edogs' mission to eliminate puppy trafficking by only allowing VDH/FCI-recognized breeders, shelters, and animal welfare organizations to post puppies.
• NOI (Retail Partner)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNOI operates HUNTER brand stores as a key retail partner. NOI opened its fourth store in August 2025, which includes the third HUNTER brand store in Prague, expanding HUNTER's presence in Central Europe.
• Sentana FoundationminorOthersLocal animal welfare organization in Bielefeld that receives regular donations from HUNTER as part of their 'HUNTER hilft' social responsibility program.
• Live and Learn in Kenia Int'lminorOthersGerman-based non-profit aid organization supporting children in Kenya's Ronda slums. Supported through long-term cooperation by HUNTER as part of their social commitment.
• VITA e.V. Assistance DogsminorOthersNon-profit organization that trains assistance dogs placed with children and adults with disabilities regardless of financial situation. Human-dog teams are supported by VITA for life. Supported through long-term cooperation by HUNTER.
• Smeura (Romania)minorOthersWorld's largest animal shelter in Romania received a donation of 1,000 sleeping places with a retail value of €75,000 from HUNTER in August 2020.
• ErgoMove Pro Biomechanical Design PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationHUNTER developed ErgoMove Pro harness system in collaboration with veterinary expertise, featuring biomechanically optimized design, movement-adaptive magnetic buckles, ergonomic EVA cushioning with spine-relieving channel, and five-point adjustability for maximum comfort and natural movement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Wild One: US design-led premium pet accessory brand (harnesses, leashes, collars) targeting design-conscious dog owners, an emerging competitor to HUNTER's premium positioning.

Direct peers

• Julius-K9: Hungarian maker of dog harnesses, collars and leashes sold via dealer networks across Europe; directly competes with HUNTER's core dog-gear product category.
• Hurtta: Finnish brand of functional dog apparel, harnesses and gear sold through specialty retail; overlaps closely with HUNTER's dog clothing and harness lines.
• Ruffwear: US premium dog harness, leash and outdoor-gear maker serving dog owners through specialty and online channels, mirroring HUNTER's premium accessories positioning.
• Flexi: German manufacturer of retractable dog leashes selling globally through the pet-specialty trade; a direct German competitor in the leash/accessory category.
• Cloud7: German premium dog lifestyle brand offering leather leashes, collars and beds; competes with HUNTER on design-led, premium made-in-Germany pet accessories.
• Kurgo: US maker of dog harnesses, travel gear and leashes; competes directly in the functional dog-accessory segment HUNTER targets with ErgoMove Pro.

Broad incumbents

• Trixie Heimtierbedarf: Large German pet-supply manufacturer and wholesaler with a broad multi-category assortment; overlaps with HUNTER's product range but at mass-market breadth rather than premium leather focus.
• Ferplast: Italian manufacturer of a wide range of pet products including collars, leashes, beds and carriers distributed internationally; a broad category incumbent overlapping HUNTER's accessories.

Regional players

• Karlie Flamingo: German/Benelux pet-products manufacturer and distributor of accessories and supplies serving European specialty retail, comparable in channel and category to HUNTER.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HUNTER.de
• Instagraminstagram.com/hunter_pets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzR-N6pB7K6l_9dWj7FZpXg
• Pinterestpinterest.com/hunterde

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Hunter