Founded in 1974 as a one-man business by the Dane Bonnik Hansen, the company has developed into the European market leader for pet accessories. TRIXIE products now hang, stand and lie on all continents. This year, the North German company is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is really letting it rip at Interzoo and afterwards.

"After the reunification of Germany in the 1990s, we experienced an incredible expansion and were able to successfully accompany the changes in the industry," says Managing Director Volker Haak, who began his training as a wholesale and foreign trade merchant at TRIXIE in 1985. At that time, the team comprised 7 employees. Today there are almost 600 from 27 different countries, who sell 6,500 products for dogs, cats, small animals, birds and reptiles to wholesalers and retailers in the office and in the field.

 

With the move to Tarp in 2002 and the constant expansion and extension of warehouse and office capacities, the TRIXIE site now covers approx. 98,000 square metres with a storage area of 52,000 square metres for approx. 90,000 pallet spaces and 48,000 containers in shuttle systems.

What has led to this consistent success and steady growth?

"There were various factors," reveals Bonnik Hansen. Good margins for the specialised trade and an attractive price-performance ratio for end consumers. Goodwill when it came to complaints. Reliability and appreciation in our dealings with each other.

These are still important values that are firmly anchored at TRIXIE today.

 

"Our approach to the product range has also changed and been reorganised," explains Dirk Jessen, also Managing Director and responsible for purchasing. In the past, it was primarily merchandise that was delivered and redelivered at TRIXIE, but today there is an almost 20-strong product management team with experts from the fields of design, veterinary medicine and dog training ready to continuously develop the range with a focus on animal welfare and sustainability.

 

What else do specialist customers appreciate about TRIXIE? "Our speed and high delivery capacity," says Jan Petersen, Head of Intralogistics. "We regularly invest in this, e.g. 15 million euros in a fully automated high-bay warehouse, most recently in the expansion of the shuttle systems and packing stations." Speaking of investments - the profits are reinvested to secure the site and further develop the company.

 

Exports play an important role in the development of sales: whereas in 2004 around 50 countries were supplied, accounting for 30% of total sales, this figure has now risen to more than 100 countries with a share of 60%. "The main reasons for this are the expansion of direct sales with our own field sales teams in Austria, France, the UK and Benelux as well as the continuous expansion of wholesale activities with sales partners on all continents," says Boy Tadsen, Head of Wholesale Export Sales, explaining the development.

 

A concept full of proximity

Perhaps precisely because Tarp is a little "off the beaten track" at the upper edge of Germany, there is constant movement in the direction and strategy of Trixie.

An extensive process involving market research and the development of a guiding principle was launched in 2019: Friends for life.

"This suits us in many ways," explains Marketing Manager Claudia Menzel. "Our range is so extensive that it accompanies pets and owners in all situations in life, from birth to old age. But we are also friends when it comes to our employees, customers and suppliers. We like to describe ourselves as down-to-earth. Here, everyone is on first-name terms and our dealings are friendly and at eye level.

 

The result is a concept full of personality that is approachable, likeable and cheerful but also conveys modernity and clarity. Visually represented in an optimised logo, imagery and packaging design. The "eternal blues" are now available in shops with a fresh and category-specific colour scheme.

"A modern, striking appearance that works as a whole and radiates emotion - we're looking forward to it," says Claudia Menzel.

Trixie will be presenting the concept for the first time at Interzoo in Nuremberg. The first packaging in the new design will be delivered from May/June.