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Pampaspet was first established in Argentina in 2002 as a producer and marketer of biscuits, snacks, treats, ice-creams and other pet food supplements. In 2021, it started operating in Spain with the support of Invest In Spain as a first step in its expansion plan for Europe. A year later, it began production in Valencia, its first plant on the continent.

 

2023 was undoubtedly the year of Pampaspet's definitive take-off in Spain. The company tripled its production area and increased its number of employees to 28. It currently distributes products under nine of its own brands from Spain to 24 countries in Europe and the Middle East. To continue growing, it already has plans in 2024 to acquire new machinery, launch new products and boost research into the behaviour of pets in order to adapt its offering to them.

 

 

This is Pampaspet's fourth year operating in Spain. How has the market actually responded to your business plan?

In most respects, the reality exceeded what was planned or at least met what we projected. We travel around Europe several times a year, visiting countries outside the European Union and assessing and comparing the advantages offered by different countries. Objectively, I would not choose any other place if I had to plan it all again. The advantages of land availability, labour costs and laws, regulatory issues, the low level of corruption, access to markets and several other issues make it the best place to start a manufacturing industry nowadays. People who do business, as well as being entrepreneurs or business people, ultimately have a life outside of work. Spain is a great place to live that life.

 

You came to Spain as a springboard to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. What role does Spain have in the company’s strategy? Have you received any further support from Invest In Spain?

Whenever we need any consultation or help, both ICEX and IVACE are there for us and always check in on us to see how we are doing during the year. This was a defining factor when we decided to settle in Spain and now it is still very good to have someone to turn to when any questions arise. Spain is of key importance to us, not only as a market but also for the company’s development. Growth is going to be important in the coming years and that growth is going to be in Spain.

 

You wanted to expand in Europe and are now also expanding to the Middle East from Spain. Now that you know the market and the regulations, have you included any new countries in your growth plans?

We are learning a lot and discovering the difficulties and advantages associated with each country as we go to market. No matter how much we talk about European Union regulations, I can say from experience that they are nothing compared to those in non-European Union countries. The plan was to focus quite a lot on Africa, Asia and the Middle East, but over time, we have recalibrated and focused on the EU, which has a huge and easily accessible market in terms of tariffs and health. Every time we want to access anon-EU market, a tangle of health documents appears that takes us months to untangle, while to sell in Germany, France or Italy, the third, fourth and fifth largest pet markets in the world, we only have to find the right commercial partner. The UK is a different matter, the world's second largest pet market, where we are doing a lot of work, looking for customers and attending trade fairs, which is starting to pay off. Finally, in August this year, we will be at the Superzoo expo in Las Vegas, our first foray into the United States, the largest pet market and one for which we have the perfect range to suit consumer tastes.

 

The pet sector has been growing steadily in recent years. How much do you have to do with this?

The pet market is growing and will continue to grow. Personally, I believe that this is not just due to demographic reasons, as they say, but rather the greater value we humans have placed on life in recent decades. Living with pets is living with life and that improves our quality of life. We are not involved in improving this perception; what we do is try to understand it and make products available to people that help them share moments with their pets and, therefore, improve the quality of life for pets and pet owners alike.

 

How has your Valencia plant grown? Do you have room for further growth, or are you considering new locations?

We started in one hall, and we now have three in just over a year of production. This creates some disorder, so we plan to relocate to a facility of our own, which will allow us to grow for at least ten years.

 

You already have 28 employees. Will this figure also grow?

Yes, this number will multiply several times over in the coming years. This is due to both the growth of the production and sales teams and roles across the organisation being more specialised.  We are few in numbers at the moment and we perform many tasks; as we grow and form teams, those tasks will become fewer and more specialised.

 

What investment have you made in Spain over the years?

We have made all the investment necessary to start up and finance the company’s operation. Access to credit is initially non-existent, but on the other hand we do plan to start building a plant in the next few years that will take us as far as we want to go.

 

What projects are you currently working on and what are the upcoming challenges?

Several projects are underway. In the short term, we are launching a line of liquid cat snacks, the first in Spain. Over the course of the year, we are also planning to set up a new semi-moist snack line which, together with process automation, will allow us to multiply production. We also want to reach the end of the year with a certified quality standard. In the medium term, constructing a plant from scratch is our main objective. The biggest challenge is to continue to build teams. The speed with which we overcome this challenge will determine our capacity for growth.

 

^{Photos: Pampaspet}