VAFO Group, a leading European petfood company, has made a strategic investment in PEZZ life, an Austrian pet health diagnostics company, expanding its focus beyond pet nutrition into prevention and diagnostics. The investment will also establish scientific and commercial cooperation between PEZZ life and Biome9, the gut-health testing company VAFO acquired through Pooch & Mutt in 2025.
Under the cooperation, PEZZ life and Biome9 will develop a joint roadmap to identify scientific, commercial and operational synergies between their diagnostic and testing portfolios. Both companies will continue to operate independently.
Markus Zengerer, founder and CEO of PEZZ life, said the partnership could combine the companies’ expertise across nutrition, prevention and diagnostics. Bushra Abu-Helil, Head of Science and Research at Biome9, said PEZZ life’s diagnostic capabilities could complement Biome9’s work and support earlier health insights for pet owners and veterinarians.
Timo Pärssinen, Board Member and Head of Commercial at VAFO Group, said the investment reflects the company’s ambition to take a broader role in pet wellbeing by connecting nutrition, prevention and health insights.
VAFO Group, established in 1994, operates nine petfood factories and produces more than 220,200 tonnes annually, with its brands distributed in more than 90 countries.
