TL;DR
Four companies are expanding pet-related production in Germany, Denmark and Romania through new facilities, equipment upgrades and larger systems. The projects range from Mars’ planned German investments to Algiecel’s operating microalgae facility and AktivDog’s proposed Romanian plant, which still requires a building permit.
Four pet-industry companies are expanding production operations in Germany, Denmark and Romania, with investments spanning pet food, supplementary feed and microalgae ingredients. The plans include new buildings and machinery, alongside an opened facility, but their timelines and readiness differ: Algiecel’s Danish plant is operating, while some other projects remain planned or subject to permits.
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German supplement maker Canina Pharma is investing €5.6 million to add about 1,500 square meters of production space at its Hamm-Rhynern site. The company says the dedicated supplementary-feed facility, together with new equipment, is expected to nearly double its current capacity when fully operational in fall 2027. Planned upgrades include a pouch-filling machine, mixing equipment, screening and sieving systems, dust extraction and production digitalization.
Mars plans about €85 million in investment at its German sites between 2026 and 2027. More than €18 million is planned for the Verden pet food facility, including machinery for Sheba multipacks, with a further €6 million set aside for a pouch packaging line. Mars says Verden supplies almost 30 markets in Europe and beyond and will continue to do so. The site also serves as the company’s global wet pet food research center.
In Denmark, Algiecel has opened a microalgae production facility at Novonesis’ Kalundborg site. Its new reactor has a total volume of 5,500 liters, compared with 700 liters in the company’s pilot system. Algiecel says the facility increases capacity almost fivefold and that it expects to produce 12 tonnes of biomass annually from 2027 for pet food and cosmetics. Swiss dog food maker AktivDog, meanwhile, plans a €8 million to €10 million plant in Sibiu County, Romania. It expects capacity of around 5,000 tonnes a year, but construction depends on a building permit.
More Capacity Across Pet Supply Chains
The investments add or plan production capacity across several parts of the pet sector: supplementary feed, wet and other pet foods, and microalgae ingredients. For manufacturers, additional lines and larger facilities can support higher output and different packaging formats. Canina Pharma says its expansion will serve demand and support private-label and white-label business; Mars’ investment concerns an established site that supplies markets across Europe and beyond.
Algiecel’s facility matters as a move from pilot-scale production toward recurring commercial supply. CEO Susanne Palsten Buchardt said the company aims to offer a reliable alternative at industrial volumes at a time when fish oil supply is under pressure. That is the company’s stated rationale; the source does not establish how much of the market its biomass could supply or how customers will use it. AktivDog says its Romanian plant would produce meat varieties that are unavailable in Switzerland, serving European and Swiss customers while freeing capacity at its Swiss operation.
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Four Projects at Different Stages
The developments are not all equivalent announcements. Algiecel’s Kalundborg facility has opened, while Canina Pharma’s expanded site is expected to become fully operational in fall 2027. Mars’ German spending is planned for 2026–2027. AktivDog has acquired land in Sibiu and is preparing a building-permit application; it has not reported that construction has started.
The companies also describe different investment histories and purposes. Mars says it invested €59 million in German pet-food infrastructure from 2021 through 2025, before the newly planned spending. Canina Pharma’s expansion combines additional space with machinery and process upgrades. AktivDog selected Sibiu for its transport links and existing supplier connections, according to the company. The projects therefore reflect separate business decisions rather than a single coordinated European program.
“The Verden facility currently supplies almost 30 markets across Europe and beyond. This will remain unchanged.”
— Mars, in comments to GlobalPETS
Permits and Output Still Pending
Some announced capacity is not yet in operation. AktivDog’s construction depends on approval of a building permit, and its expected production start in the fourth quarter of 2028 or first quarter of 2029 remains a company schedule rather than a confirmed start date. Canina Pharma’s near-doubling estimate likewise depends on its facilities becoming fully operational in fall 2027.
Algiecel expects annual biomass output of 12 tonnes from 2027, but the report does not specify how much has been contracted or what share will go to pet food rather than cosmetics. Mars has outlined its planned spending and equipment, but the report gives no projected increase in production volume. Across the projects, final spending, commissioning schedules and realized output may differ from current plans.
Milestones Through 2029
The next stated milestones are Algiecel’s expected start of annual biomass production in 2027, Canina Pharma’s target to have its expanded facilities fully operational in fall 2027, and Mars’ planned German investments during 2026–2027. Those dates are company plans or expectations, not confirmation that output targets have been met.
For AktivDog, the immediate step is its building-permit application. The company hopes to receive approval by mid-2027, after which it says construction can proceed toward a planned production launch in late 2028 or early 2029. Permit approval and progress on construction will determine whether that timetable holds.
Key Questions
Which companies are expanding production?
Canina Pharma, Mars, Algiecel and AktivDog are investing in or opening production facilities and equipment in Germany, Denmark and Romania.
Which project is already operating?
Algiecel’s new facility in Kalundborg, Denmark, has opened. The other projects described are planned expansions or investments at different stages.
When will the Romanian AktivDog plant open?
AktivDog says production is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2028 or first quarter of 2029. That schedule depends on receiving a building permit and completing construction.
How much biomass does Algiecel expect to produce?
Algiecel expects to produce 12 tonnes annually from 2027 for the pet food and cosmetics sectors. This is a company projection; the report does not give a breakdown by sector.
Source: globalpetindustry.com
