FutterTester.de

What FutterTester.de does

FutterTester.de, operated by Futtertester Community GmbH, is a German two-sided consumer testing platform for pet food. Founded in October 2010 and headquartered in Hückeswagen, Germany, the company connects pet food and treat manufacturers with a community of registered pet owners who test products in exchange for free samples and provide structured feedback via online questionnaires. The platform has accumulated 32,507 registered users, 78,660 registered animals across dogs, cats, rodents, birds, reptiles, fish, and horses, and has facilitated 319 product tests since inception. Revenue is generated through manufacturer sponsorships of individual product tests, with additional consumer-facing value delivered through the FutterClub loyalty program offering partner discounts, and the annual 'Produkte des Jahres' (Products of the Year) community-voted award program.

The underlying technology is a standard web-based portal built on the TYPO3 CMS, with no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Distribution is digital-first via the company's own website, supported by an SEO footprint of 774+ indexed pages, an active Facebook and Instagram presence, and a newsletter. A retail distribution layer exists through a partnership with the zookauf group, including branded in-store shelf sections and integration with zookauf-shop.de. Fulfillment to test participants is handled via DHL GoGreen. The company operates with a small team (1-10 employees) led by Managing Directors Katharina Siebel and Stephan Schlüter, and is self-funded with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or subsidiaries.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: registration is free for pet owners, tests are selected via a 24-hour lottery-style sign-up window typically yielding 100-200 participants per test, and feedback is collected through structured online surveys. The business model is B2B sponsorship on the revenue side and free community participation on the demand side, with the FutterClub adding a consumer discount layer. Geographic focus is Germany within the broader DACH region, with no disclosed international expansion to date.

Name

FutterTester.de

Legal name

Futtertester Community GmbH

Website

https://futtertester.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Food Consumer Testing Services

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Health & Wellness Retail (Supplements, OTC, Flea/Tick) (CRALAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Animal Food (rabbit/guinea pig/hamster) (CRADAFAJ), Natural/Organic & Limited-Ingredient Diets (CRADAFAH)

Keywords

• Pet food testing
• Consumer product testing
• Recommendation marketing
• Pet community platform
• Product review portal

Headquarters

HQ city

Hückeswagen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand/Manufacturer Sponsorships for Product Tests: Pet food and treat manufacturers pay FutterTester to have their products included in product tests distributed to the platform's registered community of pet owners. Manufacturers receive structured consumer feedback reports and brand exposure to the platform's user base.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FutterTester.de is an online consumer testing portal for pet food where registered pet owners in Germany can sign up to receive free product samples (dog, cat, small animal, bird, reptile, fish, horse food/treats) and provide structured feedback through online questionnaires. Pet food manufacturers and brands sponsor the tests in order to obtain authentic consumer feedback reports and brand exposure to the platform's community. The platform runs free for pet owners and generates revenue from manufacturer sponsorships.

Product overview

FutterTester.de is a German consumer testing portal for pet food (Heimtierfutter), consisting of three interconnected offerings: (1) Futtertests — the core platform where registered pet owners sign up for and participate in free product tests, receiving samples and providing feedback through online questionnaires; (2) Futterclub — a membership add-on offering exclusive discounts and partner deals; and (3) Produkte des Jahres — an annual awards program highlighting top-rated products based on community reviews. The platform connects pet food manufacturers with pet owners for product testing across multiple animal categories including dogs, cats, small animals, birds, reptiles, fish, and horses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Futtertests Core consumer product testing programme where registered pet owners sign up for free pet food and treat tests, receive product samples at home, and complete structured online questionnaires about acceptance, tolerance, and overall impressions within approximately two weeks. Sponsored by pet food manufacturers and brands.
• Futterclub

Quantifiable outcome

• 319 product tests completed across multiple pet food categories (dogs, cats, rodents, birds, reptiles, fish, horses)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• zookauf GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFutterTester has established a physical retail presence through the zookauf retail chain. Select zookauf stores feature dedicated FutterTester themed shelf sections. The FutterClub loyalty program offers exclusive discounts redeemable at zookauf-shop.de. The partnership extends FutterTester's brand reach into brick-and-mortar pet retail in Germany.
• takefive-media GmbHminorOthersTakefive-media GmbH (based at the same address as FutterTester: Gewerbestraße 9, 42499 Hückeswagen) handles data processing for contact form submissions. Likely a related entity or IT/operations partner.
• Pet Food Manufacturers and BrandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPet food and treat manufacturers (such as MERA, Happy Dog, BELCANDO, Schesir, Dr. Clauder's, bosch Tiernahrung, and many others) partner with FutterTester to have their products tested by the platform's community. Manufacturers provide product samples; FutterTester distributes to selected participants and collects structured consumer feedback on their behalf.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Zooplus: Zooplus is Europe's largest online pet supplies retailer, operating across many of the same geographies as FutterTester. As a broad incumbent in the European pet ecosystem, it could partner with or compete against FutterTester in connecting pet food brands with consumers at scale.
• Fressnapf: Fressnapf is one of Europe's largest pet retail chains with a significant store footprint. Like zookauf (FutterTester's existing retail partner), Fressnapf represents the type of broader pet retail incumbent that could host FutterTester-style community programs across many geographies.

Direct peers

• Toluna: Toluna is a global consumer insights platform that connects brands with a panel of consumers for product testing, surveys, and feedback. Its community-driven model closely mirrors FutterTester's approach of leveraging a registered community to deliver structured consumer feedback to brand clients.
• BzzAgent: BzzAgent is a word-of-mouth marketing platform that recruits consumers to try products and share authentic reviews within their networks. Its model of consumer-driven product testing and brand advocacy is structurally similar to FutterTester's Empfehlungsmarketing approach.
• Influenster: Influenster is a product discovery and sampling platform where members receive free products to test and review. Like FutterTester, it operates a community-driven model connecting brand sponsors with engaged consumers who provide structured feedback in exchange for free samples.
• Markenjury: Markenjury is a German consumer product testing community where members test products from brands across categories and share reviews. As a German-market peer, it directly competes with FutterTester for both brand sponsorship budgets and consumer testers.
• Sample Source: Sample Source is a consumer sampling platform that distributes free products to members willing to provide feedback and reviews. Its business model of monetizing brand sponsorships through consumer testing communities closely parallels FutterTester's core operations.
• DogFoodAdvisor: DogFoodAdvisor is a leading independent pet food review and rating platform focused on dog food. While it is editorial rather than community-testing, it serves the same audience of pet owners seeking structured pet food product information and influences brand perception in the pet food market.
• Triggi: Triggi is a product testing and consumer rewards platform where members test products and earn cash rewards. While its reward mechanism differs, it competes in the same consumer product testing space as FutterTester for brand-sponsored campaigns.

Others

• Petplan: Petplan is a pet insurance and community services provider operating across Europe and North America. While its core business differs, it represents an adjacent pet ecosystem player that engages pet owners through community-driven content and brand partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/futtertester
• Facebookfacebook.com/futtertester
• Instagraminstagram.com/futtertester.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/futtertester-community-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 FutterTester.de