Animal-ly Good Snacks
Interview with Maximilian and Philipp Hibler, Managing Directors of Intercarne GmbH
For many people, their pets are everything. They enrich life and offer unconditional love. It's no surprise that their owners only want the best for their furry friends and make no compromises, especially not with food. This also applies to the small treats in between or as a reward. The high-quality snacks and chew items from Intercarne GmbH in Bad Endorf guarantee the full flavor of the best ingredients and are the first choice for dogs and cats.
Freshly and gently produced, consisting only of natural raw materials and maintaining consistently high quality - for many years, Intercarne has adhered to this maxim. Successfully. Customers are satisfied, recommend the company to others, and demand is steadily increasing.
Defying the Crisis
It's no coincidence that Intercarne's own brands and white label products are convincing. Behind the success are not only experience and know-how, but also a strong sense of quality and the willingness to explore new avenues. "Our father founded the company in 1985 as a traditional meat trading business," says Philipp Hibler, managing director. "When he took over a company in Thuringia in 2011, which manufactured dog and cat snacks using small production facilities, he set a new course."
Since then, Intercarne has been experiencing extraordinary growth. Small facilities quickly became large production plants, until they too reached their limits. In August 2024, the company moved into a modern production facility that meets the latest standards and also provides room for further growth. Today, about 40 employees work here; many have been loyal to Intercarne for many years and decades. "We have invested in the building for the future and made a statement," emphasizes Philipp Hibler. "Our top priority remains to meet the wishes of our customers; today and in the future."
Family Affairs
Since the end of 2021, the management has been in the hands of Philipp and Maximilian Hibler, the sons of the founder. They grew up with the company, listening fascinated to the stories of their father, who introduced them early into the family business. That they would one day follow in his footsteps was clear to everyone from the start.
"Our father always ensured that the company was solidly positioned," says Maximilian Hibler. "This was an invaluable advantage, especially during crisis times, and we still benefit from this solid foundation and are very grateful for it."
Only the Best is Good Enough
Based on the know-how that has grown over decades and has been continuously developed, Intercarne today offers dog and cat snacks as well as chew products in the premium segment, made from meat and natural raw materials and gently dried. A classic from the first hour and still in the product range today are the 'Minis', completely natural snacks with a particularly high meat content. Currently, functional snacks are trending. These are developed according to customer requirements with special ingredients.
Another pillar is formed by soft products in a wide variety of variants. The assortment reflects trends of the time – a key characteristic of Intercarne. "It is important to work on the pulse of the time and to identify and adopt trends in order to meet customer needs," says Philipp Hibler. "That's why we have changed and adapted our offerings repeatedly. For example, we integrated vegetarian ingredients, introduced an organic line, and developed functional snacks.
New products are always created in close partnership with our customers, major, renowned brands. Intercarne has thus not only made a name for itself as a quality-conscious, but also as a flexible partner. Desires for specific shapes, protein values, moisture levels, and ingredients such as dietary supplements, berries, vegetables, flakes, or herbs are implemented according to customer wishes. "We try to make everything possible, but we also give honest feedback when something does not make sense in our eyes," emphasizes Maximilian Hibler. "Generally, trends from the human sector eventually find their way into the animal sector."
New Products, New Markets, Proven Quality
New trends are implemented in Clingen/Thüringen. Here, the most modern production technology meets sustainable innovations. There is a heat recovery plant, charging stations for electric cars, and rooms flooded with light offering views of the countryside. Many processes are digitalized, yet the proportion of manual labor is relatively high.
"Some products, especially those with certain shapes and sizes, can only be packaged by hand," says Philipp Hibler. "Cleaning' of chew items is also done manually. Lastly, finished products are checked by an employee before they go to the customer, to ensure proper quality." What follows this strict quality strategy? An exceptionally low complaint rate and satisfied customers. "Many customers switch to us because we deliver snack products in consistently good quality," emphasizes Maximilian Hibler.
"Many also desire this quality for dry food. Therefore, in 2025 we will invest a lot of time in developing a corresponding product." As a leading premium producer of dog and cat snacks in Germany, Intercarne continues to strive to deliver consistently stable products. New, contemporary products should enrich the assortment; the demand from customers is high. This clearly indicates growth. "The fact that we have invested in a new building during a recession shows the direction we are heading," says Maximilian Hibler. "Here at this location, we can continue to grow; this applies to both the development of new products and new markets beyond the DACH region."