Snellman Petfood strengthens its influence in Europe – Greg Van Praagh elected FEDIAF President
Following the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) General Assembly in Brussels, Belgium on 10 June, Greg Van Praagh, Managing Director of Benyfit Natural, part of Snellman Petfood, and representative of UK Petfood, was elected President of FEDIAF for the next two-year period with a possible extension for another two-year period.
FEDIAF is the central industry body representing the European pet food sector, acting as a key partner to EU institutions and regulators, and playing a pivotal role in shaping industry standards for nutrition, safety and communication across Europe. It represents 16 national pet food associations across 19 European countries, together with five pet food manufacturers operating in Europe.
As President of this esteemed industry federation, Greg Van Praagh brings extensive experience at the intersection of pet food manufacturing, trade association leadership, and European regulatory engagement. The election of Greg to this post also reflects a growing recognition of raw feeding within the sector and a broader shift within the industry, where consumer demand for natural, minimally processed pet food solutions continues to grow. He is the first President that comes from a raw feeding company.
“This is a proud moment for us and especially for our UK team. It is an acknowledgement for the work we have been doing within raw feeding. Natural pet nutrition is gaining recognition at the highest level in Europe,” says Greg Van Praagh.
For Snellman Petfood this marks another important milestone. Through its acquisition of Benyfit Natural and continued development in the UK market, the company now has direct representation at the highest level within the European industry structure via UK Petfood and FEDIAF.
“We are very pleased that Greg’s election gives us the opportunity to be represented at this level in Europe. It strengthens our position and supports our long-term ambition to establish raw feeding as an increasingly important and recognized part of the European pet food industry,” says Magnus Pettersson, CEO, Snellman Petfood.
The new leadership of FEDIAF is expected to continue to play a central role in shaping the future direction of the industry, where innovation, sustainability and evolving consumer expectations are driving change across markets.
Additional information:
Greg van Praagh, Managing Director, Benyfit Natural, tel. +44 7710 824079, email: greg.vanpraagh@benyfitnatural.co.uk
Magnus Pettersson, CEO, Snellman Petfood, tel. +358 44 5386389, email: magnus.pettersson@snellmanpetfood.com