What Kokkolan Nahka does

Kokkolan Nahka Oy is a third-generation Finnish family-owned leather processor headquartered in Kokkola, Central Ostrobothnia, founded in 1957. The company operates three sub-brands: Pelo (vegetable-tanned sheath leather and nappa leather, with roots tracing to an 1897 tannery, the oldest continuously operating in Finland), Kaarna Elk Leather (premium, ecologically sourced elk leather products), and Kokkolan Pet Products (private-label dog chews and pet treats manufactured from excess rawhide). Core technology centres on traditional vegetable-tanning craftsmanship combined with modern production planning, an in-house water treatment plant operated under environmental permit, responsible chrome tanning with certified chromium recycling, and a circular waste-to-biogas conversion system that powers internal vehicles. Differentiators include full traceability from raw hide selection to finished product, REACH and CITES compliance, and a zero-waste philosophy using by-product hides from Finnish hunting clubs and local slaughterhouses.

The business model is a hybrid of OEM/private-label manufacturing and direct B2B/consumer sales. Kokkolan Pet Products generates revenue as a private-label manufacturer producing dog chews and treats for retailers under their own brand names, distributed globally. Pelo sells vegetable-tanned sheath leather (where it is the Nordic market leader) and nappa leather directly to knife sheath makers, leather goods manufacturers, and craftspeople. Kaarna sells premium elk leather goods through direct sales inquiries. Raw material sourcing is conducted in close collaboration with Finnish hunting clubs (over three decades of partnership) for elk hides and local slaughterhouses for cow hides, with the company supplying salt for hide preservation. No pricing is publicly disclosed; sales inquiries are managed by business unit managers including Mirva Örnberg for Pet Products and dedicated email channels for Pelo ([email protected]) and Kaarna ([email protected]).

The company reports operating in 25 countries, employs people of 12 different nationalities, and is a member of the Finnish Family Firms Association. Leadership is concentrated within the Örnberg family, with Juha Örnberg as CEO and owner, Pasi Örnberg as Factory Manager and owner, and Mirva Örnberg as Business Unit Manager. There are no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, subsidiaries, or M&A activity, consistent with the family-owned governance structure. The company has reported no revenue figures publicly, and headcount is reported at 11-50 employees.

Name

Kokkolan Nahka

Legal name

Kokkolan Nahka Oy

Website

https://kokkolan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kokkolan Nahka is a Finnish third-generation family leather processor that tans Nordic wild animal hides under the Pelo and Kaarna brands and produces private-label dog chews under Kokkolan Pet Products, serving retailers and craftspeople across 25 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leather Manufacturing

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing (31611), Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316)

SIC

Leather & Leather Products (3100)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom & Private-Label Pet Food Manufacturing (AFADAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Treats & Chews (CRADAFAE)

Keywords

• Leather tanning services
• Vegetable tanned leather
• Private label pet treats
• Nordic elk leather products
• Sustainable leather manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kokkola

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private label pet treat manufacturing: Kokkolan Pet Products manufactures high-quality dog chews and treats under customers' own brand names (private label production). Products are produced using natural ingredients with rawhide from excess materials.
2. Kaarna Elk Leather products: Sales of exotic, ecological and ethical elk leather products under the Kaarna brand, targeting premium quality-conscious consumers.
3. Pelo leather products: Sales of vegetable-tanned sheath leather and nappa leather under the Pelo brand, targeting knife makers, craftspeople, and leather goods manufacturers. Pelo is the Nordic market leader in sheath leather.
4. Raw hide purchasing from hunting clubs: Company purchases excess hides from Finnish hunting clubs (elk hides) and local slaughterhouses (cow hides), creating a sustainable supply chain relationship.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kokkolan Nahka processes leather and manufactures premium pet chews from Nordic wild animal hides. Under the Pelo brand it produces hard-wearing vegetable-tanned sheath leather and soft nappa leather for knife makers, craftspeople and leather goods manufacturers; under the Kaarna brand it sells exotic, ecological and ethical elk leather products; and under Kokkolan Pet Products it produces private-label dog chews and pet treats from natural ingredients using bacteriologically tested processes.

Product overview

Kokkolan Nahka is a Finnish family-owned leather manufacturing company founded in 1957, operating as a third-generation family business. The company offers a diversified product portfolio organized under three distinct sub-brands: Kokkolan Pet Products (producing natural dog chews and pet treats via private label manufacturing), Kaarna Elk Leather (premium exotic elk leather goods), and Pelo Leather (traditional vegetable-tanned sheath and nappa leather for industrial and craft applications). The company positions itself as a sustainable leather processor, utilizing excess hides from dairy/meat production and elk hunting that would otherwise go to waste. All products share a common focus on ethical sourcing, environmental responsibility, and full traceability from raw materials to finished products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kokkolan Pet Products: Tasty high-quality dog chews and other pet treats, produced as private label products using extremely safe and natural processes.
• Kaarna Elk Leather
• Pelo

Products and services

• Pelo Leather (sheath leather and nappa leather) Hard-wearing vegetable-tanned sheath leather and soft, supple nappa leather, both made with over 100 years of experience. Sold to knife sheath makers, leather goods manufacturers, craftspeople and other industrial buyers for applications including knife sheaths, gloves, shoes, boots, garments, straps and bags. Pelo is the Nordic market leader in sheath leather.
• Kaarna Elk Leather products Exquisite, exotic, ecological and ethical elk leather products made from sustainably sourced hides, designed for quality-conscious consumers who value sustainability, unique softness and breathability over synthetic or industrially produced alternatives.
• Kokkolan Pet Products (private label dog chews and pet treats) High-quality dog chews and other pet treats produced as private label products for retailers and brands, using safe, natural and bacteriologically tested processes with full traceability from raw material selection through packaging and shipping, made from natural ingredients including elk hide rawhide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 200,000 greener kilometres from biogas produced from company waste
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Finnish Hunting ClubscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with Finnish hunting clubs for over three decades. Company supplies salt for hide preservation, collects hides from designated pickup points, and pays on time. Hunting clubs regulate elk population according to Finnish Wildlife Agency quotas. This partnership ensures ethical sourcing of elk hides that would otherwise rot in forests.
• Local SlaughterhousescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCow hides sourced from local slaughterhouses that have their own animal welfare guidelines for farms. Only by-products from dairy and meat production are used - no cows are farmed specifically for leather production.
• Finnish Family Firms Association (Perheyritysten liitto)minorOthersMembership in the Finnish Family Firms Association, the cooperation organisation for Finnish family companies. Association advocates for responsible and committed Finnish business owners, ensuring Finland remains a good place to run and own a business.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tärnsjö Garveri: Swedish vegetable-tanned leather tannery producing premium hides using traditional bark tanning methods. Most directly comparable European peer to Kokkolan Nahka's Pelo brand in craft vegetable-tanned leather for craft and industrial customers.
• Wickett & Craig: North American vegetable-tanned leather tannery with heritage comparable to Pelo. Competes in the specialty vegetable-tanned leather segment for leather goods manufacturers, saddlery, and craft applications.
• Horween Leather Company: Fifth-generation American specialty leather tannery producing shell cordovan and premium vegetable-tanned leathers. Comparable as a heritage-driven specialty tannery serving premium leather goods manufacturers and craft customers.
• Tuffy's Pet Foods: US-based private label and branded pet treat manufacturer. Directly comparable to Kokkolan Pet Products' private label manufacturing model for dog chews and treats sold through retail channels.
• J & FJ Baker: British oak bark tannery producing traditional vegetable-tanned leather. Closely comparable to Pelo in production method (vegetable tanning), heritage positioning, and small-batch specialty leather focus.

Regional players

• Doggy AB: Swedish manufacturer of pet treats and chews. Comparable as a Nordic regional pet treat manufacturer, though focused more on Swedish distribution than the international private label model of Kokkolan Pet Products.

Broad incumbents

• Cargill Animal Nutrition: Global agricultural and animal nutrition company with significant animal feed and pet food operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in animal food manufacturing, illustrating the larger competitive set Kokkolan Pet Products faces if it scales.
• ECCO Leather: Danish vertically integrated leather producer and footwear brand operating its own tanneries. Comparable as a large-scale Nordic-adjacent leather manufacturer, though operating at much greater scale than Kokkolan Nahka's Pelo operation.
• Real Pet Food Company: Global private label pet food and treat manufacturer with multiple production facilities. Comparable as a much larger player operating in the same private label pet treat manufacturing space as Kokkolan Pet Products.
• Sergeant's Pet Care Products: Large North American pet care manufacturer producing private label and branded treats and health products. Overlaps with Kokkolan Pet Products in private label manufacturing of dog chews and treats for retail brands.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kokkolan-nahka

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Kokkolan Nahka