What Petman does

Petman is a German manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of frozen raw pet food, specializing in BARF (Biologisch Artgerechtes Rohes Futter — Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) nutrition for dogs, cats, fish, and reptiles. Founded in 1911 in Wuppertal by Otto Hundt as a wholesale egg and dairy business, the company developed deep-freezing expertise through its human-food line in 1970 and pivoted into pet food under the PETMAN brand in the 1990s. Operated through the legal entity Hundt Tiefkühlprodukte und Dienstleistungen Verwaltungs GmbH, Petman has built a multi-generational competence in cold-chain food processing and now operates as the BARF-focused brand within The Nutriment Company (TNC) portfolio following its August 2024 acquisition. Its proprietary HPP (High Pressure Processing) technology — applied to the RAW Veterinary Diets line — produces germ-free raw food without heat or irradiation, while in-house shock-freezing preserves nutritional integrity across all SKUs.

The product portfolio is structured into differentiated sub-brands targeting specific use cases: VitalPower (portionable resealable-bag meat and fish), Compact (space-saving vacuum frozen blocks), Natur 100% (single-ingredient animal products, some BIO-certified), BARF-In-One (14 FEDIAF-compliant complete meals for owners who do not want to mix rations manually), RAW Veterinary Diets (HPP-processed therapeutic diets), 4cats and BARF-In-One Cat (feline-specific lines), PETMAN fish (30+ aquarium food varieties), Mice/Rats On Ice (reptile feeder animals), and Hundeeis (dog ice cream treats). Distribution runs through an omnichannel model: direct e-commerce (petman.de, SimplyBarf.de) with frozen shipment and temperature documentation, alongside wholesale placement in Fressnapf, Zookauf, and numerous regional specialty pet retailers across Germany. A content layer — including the BARF Calculator tool, a 100+ article blog, the Petcast podcast, newsletter, and active social media presence — supports consumer education and acquisition in the BARF category. Revenue mechanics are transactional, unit-priced by weight, with bulk 12kg SKUs additionally serving breeders and multi-pet households.

Name

Petman

Legal name

Hundt Tiefkühlprodukte und Dienstleistungen Verwaltungs GmbH

Website

https://petman.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Petman is a German manufacturer of frozen raw BARF pet food for dogs, cats, fish, and reptiles, operating across DACH since 1911 and now part of The Nutriment Company portfolio following its August 2024 acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen & Raw Pet Food (incl. freeze-dried) (CRADAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary & Therapeutic Pet Diets (Prescription) (AFADAFAH), Natural/Organic & Limited-Ingredient Diets (CRADAFAH), Alternative Protein & Sustainable Pet Food (insect/plant/cell-based) (CRADAFAI)

Keywords

• BARF pet food
• Raw frozen pet nutrition
• Natural pet food manufacturing
• Veterinary diet pet food
• Complete pet meals

Headquarters

HQ city

Wuppertal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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. Direct E-commerce Sales: Petman sells products directly through their website petman.de and SimplyBarf.de. Products are shipped frozen to customers, with temperature documentation and cold chain guarantee.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Products sold in bulk to retail partners including Fressnapf, Zookauf, Multipet, Petsworld, and other pet specialty stores throughout Germany and German-speaking regions.
3. Product Lines: Multiple product tiers including VitalPower (reclosable bags, free portioning), Compact (space-saving frozen blocks), Natur 100% (100% animal, some BIO), BARF-In-One (complete meals), RAW Veterinary Diets (HPP-processed therapeutic diets), and supplements/oils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Petman manufactures and sells premium frozen BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) pet nutrition for dogs, cats, fish, and reptiles. Its portfolio spans component ingredients (meat, organs, bones, vegetables, oils, minerals), complete balanced meals, BIO-certified single-ingredient products, and HPP-processed veterinary diets, sold through its own e-commerce sites, major pet retail chains (Fressnapf, Zookauf), specialty retailers, and veterinary clinics across the DACH region.

Product overview

PETMAN is a German premium BARF (Biologisch Artgerechtes Rohes Futter / Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) pet food manufacturer and online retailer specializing in frozen raw pet nutrition. The company offers a comprehensive BARF product portfolio consisting of multiple sub-brands: VitalPower (free-portionable meat and fish in resealable bags), Compact (space-saving frozen blocks with vacuum packaging), and Natur 100% (100% natural single-ingredient foods, some BIO-certified). Complementary complete meal solutions include BARF-In-One (14 varieties of ready-to-feed complete meals for dogs) and BARF-In-One Cat (complete meals for cats). RAW Veterinary Diets provide germ-free BARF for sick animals using HPP processing. The company also produces specialized products including 4cats fresh meat, TauriNatur taurin supplements, Hundeeis ice cream treats, PETMAN fish aquarium food (30+ varieties), and PETMAN Mice/Rats On Ice frozen feeder animals for reptiles. Sales occur through the company's own online shop and various third-party online pet retailers. The BARF Calculator tool at barf-calculator.de supports pet owners in calculating proper food rations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BARF-In-One: Complete feed product line for dogs and cats, offering 14 varieties, mostly single protein, composed according to FEDIAF guidelines, gluten-free and mostly grain-free.
• VitalPower
• compact
• Natur
• RAW Veterinary Diets
• 4cats
• Barf-In-One Cat
• PETMAN fish
• Mice On Ice
• Rats On Ice
• Hundeeis
• TauriNatur
• Energique

Products and services

• PETMAN VitalPower Free-portionable raw meat and fish products in resealable bags with large viewing windows for visual quality verification, available in various weights with multiple protein sources for dogs.
• PETMAN Compact Space-saving frozen raw food blocks in vacuum packaging with portioning aids. Each 500g block contains various meat and fish varieties, shock-frozen for optimal quality with reduced packaging film.
• PETMAN Natur 100% 100% natural single-ingredient animal foods in resealable bags or blisters with freely portionable pieces, with some products available in BIO/organic quality for dogs.
• PETMAN BARF-In-One (Dog) Complete BARF meal system for dogs offering 14 varieties of ready-to-feed complete meals, mostly single-protein, composed per FEDIAF guidelines, gluten-free and mostly grain-free.
• PETMAN RAW Veterinary Diets Germ-free BARF diet products for sick and weakened dogs, processed using HPP (High Pressure Processing) technology to eliminate harmful bacteria while preserving protein structure and nutrients.
• PETMAN Barf-In-One Cat Complete BARF meals for cats with four varieties, including one developed specifically for kittens, providing a natural taurin source through fresh meat.
• PETMAN 4cats Fresh meat products for cats, available as sausage or in blister packs, serving as a natural taurin source.
• PETMAN Hundeeis (Dog Ice Cream) Dog ice cream treats available in three varieties, a popular snack that received coverage on RTL television.
• PETMAN fish Premium frozen fish food for aquariums offering over 30 varieties including bloodworms, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, artemia, garlic-added varieties, whole mussels, and mysis.
• PETMAN Mice On Ice / Rats On Ice Frozen feeder animals for reptiles in various sizes, including mice and rats, plus guinea pigs and rabbits for larger terrarium animals and birds of prey, in resealable containers.
• PETMAN BARF-In-One & Beutestücke (ID Tier e.V. Certified) BARF-In-One and Beutestücke product lines carrying ID Tier e.V. quality certification, verifying that the complete food meets FEDIAF standards through external expert validation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shock-freezing preserves optimal meat quality through rapid freezing process
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Nutriment Company (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Petman was acquired by The Nutriment Company on August 1, 2024, becoming the fifth German pet food company in the TNC portfolio (following Dibo, Barfgold, Aniforte, and Haustierkost). TNC is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and Düsseldorf, Germany. The acquisition strengthens TNC's position as the BARF provider in the German-speaking region and expands their full product portfolio across all distribution channels.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Terra Canis: German premium manufacturer of BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) for dogs and cats, headquartered in Munich. Closely comparable to Petman in raw/frozen positioning, premium pricing, FEDIAF-compliant complete meals, and DACH retail and e-commerce distribution.
• Wolfsblut: German premium natural pet food brand with raw-inspired and grain-free product lines for dogs. Comparable to Petman on natural/biologically appropriate positioning and DACH specialty retail presence, though primarily dry food rather than frozen raw.
• Barfgold: German BARF raw pet food brand, now a sister brand within The Nutriment Company alongside Petman following its acquisition. Overlaps almost entirely with Petman on product type (frozen BARF menus for dogs/cats), customer base, and DACH specialty retail channels.
• Aniforte: German natural pet food and BARF supplier, now part of The Nutriment Company. Comparable to Petman in raw/natural pet nutrition positioning and DACH e-commerce plus vet-channel distribution, with overlap particularly in supplements and oils.
• Herrmann's Manufaktur: German BARF raw pet food manufacturer producing frozen and freeze-dried complete meals for dogs and cats. Directly comparable to Petman on raw feeding philosophy, frozen product format, and DACH direct-to-consumer plus specialty retail distribution.
• Dibo Tiernahrung: German natural pet food brand and the first acquisition in The Nutriment Company's German portfolio. Now a sister brand to Petman under TNC, with overlapping raw/natural pet food positioning and DACH distribution.
• futalis: German custom raw pet nutrition company offering individually calculated fresh/raw meal plans for dogs. Comparable to Petman on BARF concept and DACH direct-to-consumer model, differentiated by a higher degree of individual ration customization.

Broad incumbents

• Rügenwalder Mühle: Major established German food manufacturer (known for charcuterie) that has expanded into pet food, including a BARF product line. Comparable to Petman as a broader German food/pet food incumbent entering the BARF segment with deeper capital and wider retail reach.
• Josera: Established German pet food manufacturer (Josera Erbacher) producing dry food, treats, and supplements for dogs and cats with broad DACH and international distribution. Comparable to Petman as a German pet food manufacturer in similar retail channels, but at significantly larger scale and ambient product formats.
• Happy Dog: Large German pet food manufacturer (Interquell group) offering complete dry and wet food ranges for dogs and cats. Comparable to Petman in DACH pet food manufacturing and specialty retail distribution, but operates at much broader scale across kibble and wet formats rather than frozen raw.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/petman
• Facebookfacebook.com/petman.de
• Instagraminstagram.com/petman.de

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 Petman