Company profile
History of the company
Today, Canina® can look back on 40 years of company history. The company was founded in 1984 by the industrial clerk and then managing director Ingrid Spanke in Hamm.
As early as 1986, Mrs. Spanke could no longer manage the business alone and her husband, Manfred Spanke, joined the company as sales manager. At the time, Canina® was the first company ever to offer its feed supplements through pharmacies. The demand now increased by leaps and bounds, so that a storage and packaging room had to be rented at the beginning of 1989 and the first employee was hired.
At the end of 1989, the sole proprietorship "Canina®" was renamed "Canina® pharma GmbH". In the same year, the first foreign sales partners were found in Austria (Canina® Austria) and Eastern Europe. Due to the increased presence in the pet trade, at trade fairs and exhibitions, the need for additional employees for the office and field service also increased.
After fulfilling the relevant requirements, the NRW state government granted Canina® a manufacturing license at the beginning of 1992. In the same year, the building of the current company headquarters was rented and purchased in 2004 and a subsidiary called "Canina® pharma GmbH & Co. KG" was founded, which dealt specifically with the distribution of veterinary medicines (exclusively to veterinarians and pharmacies). A veterinarian was hired who is responsible for product development, product consulting, employee and customer training in Germany and abroad. In 1999, a product line exclusively for veterinary practices was launched under the "Original Canidos®" trademark. The contract for exclusive nationwide distribution was awarded to the company "Heiland Vet.", now "Henry Schein Vet.", based in Hamburg.
Canina® has been a recognized training company since 2001.
Canina® pharma GmbH attaches great importance to excellent product quality and a high level of customer satisfaction. The company was awarded the GERMAN BUSINESS AWARD in 2018, received the "Hammer Betrieb" seal and has been certified according to the EU guidelines for Good Distribution Practice (GDP) in 2021.
In addition to animal welfare, Canina also focuses on responsible handling and reducing the burden on the environment. In 2001 Canina received the "ÖKOPROFIT-Betrieb Hamm" award and in 2020 the ÖKO certificate. Thanks to the "ECOlogical PROject for Integrated Environmental Technology", practical measures to reduce the burden on the environment were developed and successfully implemented.
High quality standards and sustainable production are firmly anchored in the company's objectives. Canina® pharma GmbH plans to achieve further certifications in accordance with internationally recognized quality standards in the coming years and to make its packaging materials more environmentally friendly. To this end, the growing family business now has its own quality management department.
The company's aim is to be the problem solver throughout the animal's life. Canina also wants to get involved and do good. It supports animal welfare organizations and donated over 400 kg of supplementary feed and care products for animals in emergency situations in 2019 alone.
A new building was completed in January 2008, increasing the office, warehouse and production space by a total of around 1,500 m². The company premises still available allowed for a further expansion of a good 1,000 m², which began in 2015 and was completed in February 2016.
The succession of the family business is assured. Son Tim Spanke, who studied business law, took over the management of the company in May 2009.
Canina® has continued to develop to this day, with over 40 employees now ensuring that the product range of over 240 items can be found in almost 3,000 German pet stores, veterinary practices, dog grooming salons and in around 50 other countries around the world. Canina® products can be found on the shelves of specialist retailers in almost all of Europe, China, Singapore, Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The largest parrot breeding farm in the Philippines also purchases vitamin and mineral mixtures from Canina®. In addition, Canina® produces its products for numerous well-known domestic and foreign companies under their own label.
The following trademarks are registered for Canina® worldwide: CANINA®, PETVITAL®, CANIDOS®, CADOC®, CAPH®, CAPHA®, EQUOLYT® and MESOFLEX®