What DAS FUTTERHAUS does

DAS FUTTERHAUS is a German pet supplies retailer and franchise operator headquartered in Elmshorn, structured as a GmbH & Co. KG (DAS FUTTERHAUS - Franchise GmbH & Co. KG). The company sells pet food, snacks, accessories, and complementary services across five core categories — dogs, cats, small animals, birds, and garden/pond animals — through a hybrid distribution model combining a franchise network of physical retail stores ("Märkte") across Germany, the e-commerce site futterhaus.de, and iOS and Android mobile applications. Pricing is unit-based with free shipping on orders over €59, and the company monetizes the customer relationship through store sales, online sales, franchise fees, and a loyalty card (Futterkarte) that feeds marketing and market research.

The product portfolio is anchored by five proprietary sub-brands — WILDKIND (premium grain-free dry and wet food), activa care (veterinary therapeutic diets including Hypoallergen, Diabetes, Struvitsteine, Gastro Intestinal, Nieren, Leber, Haut & Fell), activa Friends (premium snacks and the new Herzhaftige Suppe soup line), activa CLASSIC (classic treats), and LEX (premium wet and dry food including Sensitiv, PUR, and Senior variants) — alongside third-party brands such as animonda (GranCarno, Vom Feinsten), BELCANDO, LEONARDO, RINTI, NATURplus, Royal Canin, and Happy Dog/Cat. The technology stack is a standard e-commerce platform with integrations to Google Maps (store locator), WhatsApp (prospectus delivery), Cadooz (gift voucher processing), and CRIF (credit checks for invoice payment). No AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or SDKs are disclosed.

Go-to-market is multi-channel: customers are acquired through SEO-optimized category pages, Google Ads with remarketing, organic social on Facebook and Instagram, email newsletters with a 10% welcome discount, a podcast, and a physical store locator. The company complements product sales with embedded services — HanseMerkur pet insurance and HaustierDocs 24/7 veterinary telemedicine via WhatsApp — plus a loyalty program (Futterkarte), a free printed magazine (FUTTERPOST), gift cards, and a mobile app. The company has been recognized with the Preis-Favoriten first-place seal for three consecutive years. All operations are limited to Germany, with no disclosed geographic expansion, M&A, funding rounds, or senior leadership changes.

Name

DAS FUTTERHAUS

Legal name

DAS FUTTERHAUS - Franchise GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://futterhaus.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

German pet supplies retailer operating a franchise store network across Germany combined with e-commerce (futterhaus.de) and mobile apps, selling private-label and third-party pet food, treats, and accessories for dogs, cats, small animals, birds, and garden animals, plus complementary pet insurance and telemedicine services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Supplies Retail

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Supplies Omnichannel (CRAFAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet Health & Wellness Retail (Supplements, OTC, Flea/Tick) (CRALAHAC), Animal Health OTC Retail (Parasite Control, Basic Care) (HLAMAIAJ), Veterinary Client Engagement & Marketing (CRM, Reminders, Portals) (HLAMAMAE)

Keywords

• Pet supplies retail
• Pet food
• Veterinary diets
• Pet accessories
• Franchise retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmshorn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - Physical Stores: Revenue generated from sales of pet supplies and pet food through franchise retail stores (DAS FUTTERHAUS markets) across Germany. Customers can locate nearest stores via postal code search on the website.
2. E-commerce Online Sales: Revenue from online sales through futterhaus.de with delivery to customers across Germany. Free shipping available for orders over €59.
3. Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchise partners who operate DAS FUTTERHAUS retail stores under the company's brand and business model.
4. Futterkarte Loyalty Program: The company's loyalty card (Futterkarte) program tracks customer purchases and provides discount benefits, with data used for marketing and market research purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DAS FUTTERHAUS is a German franchise-based pet supplies retailer operating physical franchise stores and an e-commerce platform (futterhaus.de), selling pet food, treats, accessories, and supplies for dogs, cats, small animals, birds, and garden/pond animals. The assortment includes 100+ brands, proprietary private-label lines (WILDKIND, activa care, LEX, NATURplus, activa Friends, activa CLASSIC), veterinary therapeutic diets, and complementary services such as pet insurance (HanseMerkur) and 24/7 veterinary telemedicine (HaustierDocs). A loyalty card program (FUTTERKARTE) and free magazine (FUTTERPOST) extend customer engagement.

Product overview

DAS FUTTERHAUS is a German pet supplies retail chain and online store offering a comprehensive range of pet food, accessories, and services for dogs, cats, small animals, birds, and garden/pond animals. The product portfolio centers on proprietary sub-brands (WILDKIND, activa care, activa Friends, activa CLASSIC, LEX) alongside third-party premium brands (animonda GranCarno/Vom Feinsten, BELCANDO, NATURplus, LEONARDO, RINTI, Royal Canin, Happy Dog/Cat). The activa care sub-brand provides veterinary therapeutic diets for pets with specific health conditions. Complementary services include pet insurance (HanseMerkur), 24/7 telemedicine (HaustierDocs), a loyalty card program (FUTTERKARTE), and a mobile app. Free shipping is available on orders over €59.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pet Food (dry, wet, bio, snacks, supplements) Comprehensive range of dry food, wet food, organic (Bio) food, snacks, supplements, diet food, hypoallergenic, sensitive-stomach, and grain-free recipes for dogs and cats, offered across the company's proprietary brands (WILDKIND, LEX, NATURplus, activa CLASSIC) and third-party brands (animonda GranCarno/Vom Feinsten, BELCANDO, LEONARDO, RINTI). Targeted at German dog and cat owners seeking both everyday and specialized nutrition.
• Pet Treats and Snacks (activa Friends, activa CLASSIC) Range of pet snacks and treats under the activa Friends sub-brand (Mini Sticks, Kauspaß Minirolle, Junior, Senior, Schleck-Creme, Röllchen, Leckerbissen, Savory Soup) and activa CLASSIC sub-brand (Rinderkopfhaut, Rinderknochen, Knusperkissen, Knabbersnack, Sticks). Targeted at dog and cat owners seeking reward, training, and supplementary treats.
• Veterinary Therapeutic Diets (activa care) Veterinary diet product line under the activa care sub-brand for dogs and cats with specific health conditions, including Hypoallergen, Diabetes, Struvitsteine, Gastro Intestinal, Nieren (renal), Leber (hepatic), and Haut & Fell (skin and coat) recipes. Targeted at pet owners managing veterinary-recommended therapeutic nutrition.
• Pet Accessories and Supplies Comprehensive range of pet accessories and supplies for dogs, cats, small animals, birds, and garden/pond animals, including beds and sleeping places, scratching posts, collars, leashes, harnesses, muzzles, transport boxes, food and water bowls, hygiene and grooming items, flea and tick products, dental care, litter and litter boxes, toys (intelligence, chew, fetch), puppy/kitten equipment, wild bird feeders, chicken supplies, and pond products. Targeted at German pet owners across all pet categories.
• Pet Insurance (HanseMerkur Tierversicherung) Pet insurance products offered in partnership with HanseMerkur for dogs and cats, protecting customers against high veterinary costs. Promoted as a service benefit on the website. Targeted at German dog and cat owners seeking to mitigate veterinary expense risk.
• Veterinary Telemedicine (HaustierDocs) Nationwide telemedicine network of practicing veterinarians providing 24/7 video consultation via WhatsApp, with minute-by-minute billing. Offered in partnership with HaustierDocs. Targeted at German pet owners needing immediate veterinary advice without an in-person visit.
• Gift Vouchers (Geschenkgutscheine) Gift vouchers available as physical cards in DAS FUTTERHAUS franchise stores or as digital vouchers online, redeemable across the product assortment. Targeted at customers purchasing gifts for pet-owning friends and family.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Franchise PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent franchise partners operate DAS FUTTERHAUS retail stores under the company's brand and business model. Franchisees receive access to brand, inventory systems, marketing support, and operational guidance.
• HanseMerkurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with HanseMerkur insurance to offer pet insurance products for dogs and cats, protecting customers from high veterinary costs. Promoted as a service benefit on the website.
• HaustierDocscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the nationwide telemedicine network of practicing veterinarians providing 24/7 video consultation services via WhatsApp. Minute-by-minute veterinary help available.
• DHLcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipping and logistics partner for e-commerce deliveries throughout Germany.
• Cadooz GmbHminorOthersThird-party gift voucher portal provider for the company's gift card/shop program.
• CRIF GmbHminorOthersCredit check service used for invoice payment processing, conducting address and creditworthiness checks for all orders paid by invoice.
• Meta Platforms (Facebook/Instagram)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platforms for brand presence, customer engagement, and advertising campaigns. Facebook Pixel is used for tracking and remarketing.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle Analytics for web analytics, Google Ads for paid search, Google Maps for store locator, Google Tag Manager for tag management.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• FutterParadies: German online specialty pet retailer focused on raw/barf and premium nutrition. Comparable on German customer base and premium pet food positioning, but pure-play e-commerce versus DAS FUTTERHAUS's omnichannel approach.
• Chewy: US-leading pure-play online pet supplies retailer with autoship/subscription model. Comparable on e-commerce assortment strategy and private-label expansion (Chewy Brand) but no physical store presence.

Direct peers

• ZooRoyal: German pet supplies retailer (part of REWE Group) with physical stores and a robust online shop, competing directly with DAS FUTTERHAUS across the same categories and customer segments.
• Kölle Zoo: Germany-based specialty pet retail chain offering pet food, accessories and live animals across physical stores, directly overlapping with DAS FUTTERHAUS's core specialty retail proposition.
• Zooplus (HELLA Investment / Petline): Leading pure-play online pet retailer in Germany/Europe. Comparable on assortment breadth and German customer base, but competing primarily on price/selection rather than franchise-led physical retail.
• Fressnapf / Maxi Zoo: Largest German specialty pet retailer operating both franchise and corporate stores plus a strong e-commerce platform. Directly comparable omnichannel model, customer base, and assortment strategy to DAS FUTTERHAUS.

Broad incumbents

• Amazon (Pet Supplies category): Dominant German e-commerce marketplace where pet food and supplies represent a large category. Competes directly with DAS FUTTERHAUS's online channel on assortment breadth, price, and Prime delivery economics.
• Petco: US-based omnichannel pet specialty retailer offering food, supplies, and services (training, grooming, veterinary). Comparable assortment-plus-services positioning to DAS FUTTERHAUS, but at significantly larger scale.
• Pets at Home: UK-listed omnichannel pet retailer combining stores, e-commerce, and in-store veterinary services. Comparable model to DAS FUTTERHAUS at a much larger scale in the UK market.

Regional players

• Dodenhof / Dehner (pet category): Dehner is a leading German garden-center chain with a substantial pet supplies assortment (food, accessories, small animals). Comparable German geographic focus with overlapping pet-category merchandising.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/futterhaus.deutschland
• Instagraminstagram.com/dasfutterhaus
• Xx.com/futterhaus_news
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/das-futterhaus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 DAS FUTTERHAUS