Grau
GRAU generation pet (Grau GmbH) is a German DTC manufacturer of premium natural dog and cat food and dietary supplements, operating from Isselburg with e-commerce, subscription, breeder-club, and physical retail channels across Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersIsselburg, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Grau does
Grau GmbH, operating commercially as 'GRAU generation pet', is a German manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of premium natural pet food and dietary supplements for dogs and cats. Founded around 1990 by Geery and Hans Grau in Isselburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, the company was built around the HOKAMIX30 herbal formulation acquired from Cor Kroeske Senior and has since extended into a full portfolio spanning dry food (Trockenfutter), wet food (Nassfutter), monoprotein BARF canned food (Pur-Dosen), freeze-dried BARF vegetables, and a structured line of supplements covering joints, skin and coat, digestion, energy, oils, and protection/care. Production is conducted at a single 8,000 sqm Isselburg site 'nach Lebensmittelstandard' (to food standard) and the company holds a physical Fachmarkt retail store on the same premises.
The business model is primarily DTC e-commerce on a Shopware storefront with JTL-powered order and warehouse operations, augmented by three monetization layers: (1) one-time catalog sales across the full SKU range, (2) the Spar-Abo subscription delivering a flat 10% discount on flexible recurring cadence, and (3) the Züchterclub B2B breeder program offering 20% discounts, 48–72 hour priority delivery, and minimum-order convenience. Geographic reach covers Germany as the core market plus export shipping to Austria, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg via DHL (including GoGreen climate-neutral delivery and Packstation). The marketing stack — Brevo email, Meta Pixel retargeting, Instagram #generationpet, WhatsApp Business, Crisp live chat, and a Ratgeber content library — supports a community-led acquisition and retention motion aimed at health-conscious pet owners willing to pay a premium for natural, German-made, life-stage-appropriate nutrition, with secondary penetration into the registered-breeder segment.
Grau firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grau
- Legal name
- Grau GmbH
- Website
- https://grau-generationpet.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- GRAU generation pet (Grau GmbH) is a German DTC manufacturer of premium natural dog and cat food and dietary supplements, operating from Isselburg with e-commerce, subscription, breeder-club, and physical retail channels across Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grau industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Food Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Natural/Organic & Limited-Ingredient Diets (CRADAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dry Kibble (Dog & Cat) (CRADAFAA), Manufacturing, Private Label & Co-Manufacturing for Animal Diets (HLAMAHAO), Specialty Small Animal Feed (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Ferrets, etc.) (AFADAFAI)
Keywords
Where Grau is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Isselburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Grau business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales (One-time): GRAU generates revenue through direct sales of pet food and supplements to consumers via their e-commerce platform and physical store. Products include dry food, wet food, BARF products, nutritional supplements, snacks, and trial boxes. Single purchases at regular retail prices.
- Subscription (Spar-Abo): Recurring subscription model offering 10% discount on all products. Customers can set delivery intervals and manage subscriptions online. Provides predictable recurring revenue and customer retention.
- Breeder Club (Züchterclub): B2B channel offering registered breeders a 20% discount on all purchases. Generates volume-based revenue from professional dog and cat breeders with specific nutritional requirements for breeding programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard one-time purchase pricing with optional 10% subscription discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free shipping threshold with flat-rate shipping below threshold |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Breeder Club B2B pricing at 20% discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Grau product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GRAU (Grau GmbH) manufactures and sells premium dry food, wet food, BARF (raw feeding) products, and natural dietary supplements for dogs and cats under the GRAU generation pet brand. The company offers life-stage and condition-specific nutrition addressing allergies, joint health, skin and coat, digestion, and energy, made in Germany without sugar or artificial additives. Products are sold primarily direct-to-consumer through the grau-generationpet.de e-commerce shop, with subscription (Spar-Abo) and breeder loyalty (Züchterclub) programs.
Product overview
GRAU generation pet is a German pet food company (Grau GmbH) offering a comprehensive portfolio of premium dog and cat food and natural dietary supplements. The product range centers on three pillars: (1) Core food products including dry food (Trockenfutter), wet food (Nassfutter), monoprotein BARF canned food (Pur-Dosen), and BARF freeze-dried vegetables (Trockengemüse); (2) Natural dietary supplements covering skin & coat (Haut & Fell), joints (Gelenke), digestion (Verdauung), energy & vitality (Energie & Vitalität), oils (Öle), and protection & care (Schutz & Pflege); and (3) The heritage Hokamix brand of herbal mixtures for metabolic and joint support. Supplementary offerings include trial boxes (Probierbox), a subscription service (Spar-Abo), a breeder club (Züchterclub) with 20% discounts, and a physical retail store (Fachmarkt) in Isselburg. All products are made in Germany from natural ingredients, without sugar, artificial additives, or exotic protein sources, and the company emphasizes sustainability, animal welfare, and a community identity (#generationpet).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trockenfutter (Dry Food for Dogs and Cats) Premium dry food for dogs and cats in multiple protein recipes with grain-free and gluten-free options; high meat content, made in Germany, no sugar or artificial additives; for health-conscious pet owners seeking daily nutrition.
- Nassfutter (Wet Food for Dogs and Cats) Premium wet food for dogs and cats with monoprotein and multi-protein recipes, 63-70% fresh meat content in natural coarse consistency, free from artificial additives; supports high-meat natural diet.
- Pur-Dosen (Monoprotein Canned Food) Single-protein canned food for BARF (raw) feeding containing 70% fresh meat from one protein source (beef, lamb, horse, chicken, game); for dogs and cats with food intolerances or allergies.
- BARF Trockengemüse (Freeze-Dried Vegetables) Single-ingredient freeze-dried vegetables (potato flakes, carrot cubes, vegetable mixes, rosehip, sweet potato grits) for BARF diets; food-grade quality retaining near-complete vitamin content.
- BARF Ergänzungen (BARF Supplements) Mineral and vitamin supplements designed to complete raw (BARF) diets for dogs and cats, including KombiMix complete nutrient mix, brewer's yeast, green-lipped mussel, and bone meal.
- Hokamix (Herbal Mixture Line)
Quantifiable outcome
- Customer satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on customer reviews
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Grau
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Grau technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration23 records
Grau partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ShopwarecoreE-commerce platform provider powering the GRAU online shop. Shopware AG, Ebbinghoff 10, 48624 Schöppingen, Germany. Essential infrastructure for all online sales operations.
- JTL-Software-GmbHcoreOrder processing and fulfillment system. JTL-Software-GmbH, Rheinstr. 7, 41836 Hückelhoven, Germany. Handles order management and warehouse logistics integration.
- PayPalcorePayment processing including PayPal, PayPal 30 days (invoice), and PayPal Rechnung. PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxemburg. Primary payment method for many customers.
- AdyencorePayment service provider for credit card processing and other payment methods. Adyen N.V., Simon Carmiggeltstraat 6-50, 1011 DJ Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- DHL Paket GmbHcoreExclusive shipping partner for all domestic and international deliveries. DHL Paket GmbH, Sträßchensweg 10, 53113 Bonn, Germany. Offers Packstation delivery and climate-neutral shipping (GoGreen).
- Brevo GmbHcoreEmail marketing platform for newsletters and promotional communications. Brevo GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 126, 10179 Berlin, Germany. Handles transactional emails and marketing automation.
- Google Ireland LimitedcoreGoogle Analytics 4 for website analytics and user behavior tracking. Google Signals for cross-device reporting. Data privacy framework compliant.
- Meta Platforms Ireland LimitedcoreMeta Pixel for Facebook and Instagram advertising, retargeting, and conversion tracking. Custom audiences for targeted marketing campaigns.
- Fairness im HandelminorInitiative for fair trade practices. GRAU has committed to the participation conditions for eCommerce initiative 'Fairness im Handel'. Promotes ethical business practices.
- Trusted ShopsminorE-commerce quality seal provider. GRAU has committed to Trusted Shops quality criteria for customer trust and purchase protection.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Grau competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Terra Canis: German premium natural and BARF-oriented pet food manufacturer — directly comparable on BARF, supplements, and natural wet food lines where GRAU competes.
- Anifit: German premium DTC pet food brand selling natural wet food and supplements direct to consumers — directly overlapping GRAU in target customer, channel (DTC), and product philosophy.
- Wolfsblut: German premium natural pet food brand emphasizing high meat content and grain-free recipes — competes head-to-head with GRAU in dry/wet food for dogs and cats.
- Wildes Land: German premium natural pet food brand with regional/ethical sourcing positioning — overlaps GRAU on natural-ingredient DTC positioning for dogs and cats.
- Herrmann's Manufaktur: German manufacturer specializing in BARF and natural raw pet food — direct overlap with GRAU's Pur-Dosen, freeze-dried vegetables, and BARF supplements.
Broad incumbents
- Fressnapf: Europe's largest specialty pet retail chain — competes for the same German pet owner with both private-label and premium third-party brands across physical and online channels.
- Nestlé Purina: Global pet food incumbent with extensive premium and veterinary diet portfolio — broad competitor setting category pricing, distribution, and consumer-trust benchmarks GRAU must match.
- Christopherus (Josera family): Established German pet food manufacturer with broader mainstream and premium lines — comparable on production scale and product breadth, with overlapping channel presence in DACH.
- Mars Petcare: Global pet food incumbent behind brands such as Royal Canin, Pedigree, and Whiskas — competes on premium and natural sub-brands and exerts pressure on shelf, retail, and advertising economics.
- Zooplus: Europe's largest online pet retailer carrying hundreds of brands including premium labels — competes for the same DTC pet owner but as a broad multi-brand marketplace rather than a single-brand specialist.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Grau social profiles
Digital presenceGrau compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Grau financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grau leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Grau funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grau 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 Grau
What does Grau do?
GRAU (Grau GmbH) manufactures and sells premium dry food, wet food, BARF (raw feeding) products, and natural dietary supplements for dogs and cats under the GRAU generation pet brand. The company offers life-stage and condition-specific nutrition addressing allergies, joint health, skin and coat, digestion, and energy, made in Germany without sugar or artificial additives. Products are sold primarily direct-to-consumer through the grau-generationpet.de e-commerce shop, with subscription (Spar-Abo) and breeder loyalty (Züchterclub) programs.
Is Grau a public or private company?
Grau is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Grau founded?
Grau was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Grau based?
Grau is headquartered in Isselburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Grau make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales (One-time) is the primary driver. The others are subscription (Spar-Abo) and breeder Club (Züchterclub).
Who are Grau's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Terra Canis, Anifit, Wolfsblut, Wildes Land and Herrmann's Manufaktur. Broad incumbents are Fressnapf, Nestlé Purina, Christopherus (Josera family), Mars Petcare and Zooplus.
Does Grau have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grau.
What industry is Grau in?
Grau's product category is Pet Food Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAFAH, Natural/Organic & Limited-Ingredient Diets, with a secondary code of CRADAFAA, Dry Kibble (Dog & Cat). Its NAICS code is 311111 and its SIC code is 2000.