With a turnover of 120 million euros in 2023, of which 80% came from the cat and dog food division, the commitment of the second-grade cooperative Cotécnica to pet food has turned out to be a success. Furthermore, these are sales 14% higher than those recorded in the previous year. The remaining 20% of the business belongs to correctors and vitamin premixes for livestock feed, which is the original business of this Bellpuig (Urgell) cooperative founded in 1982 to supply these products to the feed manufacturing cooperatives that make it up.
Cotécnica's commitment to pets dates back to 1991. "The then general director saw at a fair in the United States that the new cereal extruder machine that the cooperative owned could also be used to produce food for dogs and cats," explains David. Sánchez, current general director. It was a good way to “evolve in the face of the drop in demand from the member cooperatives, who as they grew in size, began to manufacture their concealers and premixes themselves,” adds Sánchez.
In 2018, Cotécnica launched Ownat, its own animal feed brand. Thanks to it, the cooperative has registered annual growth of more than 15% since then. “We target the premium and super-premium segments, with 70% of international sales,” he details. In total, Ownat exports to 48 countries, of which 80% are European, with neighboring France, Portugal and Italy leading sales. The cooperative has begun operations in China and is expected to do so soon in Mexico.
Cotécnica currently has three extruded food factories, all of them in Bellpuig. The last one, launched in 2022, has involved an investment of 16 million euros and they claim that it is “the most modern extruded factory in the Spanish State.” Owncat recipes incorporate fresh meat and at least 50% natural ingredients, among which the cereals that Cotécnica purchases from member cooperatives stand out. For sales, the company goes exclusively to specialized stores, in line with its commitment to the premium and super-premium segments.
With a staff of 130 workers, the owner members of Cotécnica are 11 cooperatives from Catalonia, Aragon and Castilla y León. Between this year and next, the cooperative plans to continue with the investment pace of recent years, with an investment of 6 million euros, close to 5% of turnover.
