Brussels, Belgium – The Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations (GAPFA) is pleased to announce that BHJ and agro Food Solution GmbH have been approved as new Affiliate Members by the GAPFA General Assembly.

The addition of these two companies further strengthens GAPFA’s Affiliate Membership community and reflects the Alliance’s commitment to fostering collaboration across the global pet food value chain. The Affiliate Membership category was established to engage organizations that provide essential expertise, ingredients, and services supporting the pet food sector worldwide.

BHJ is a global supplier of animal proteins for the international food and pet food industries. The company provides high-quality functional ingredients derived from animal raw materials and supports pet food manufacturers worldwide with solutions that contribute to product quality, nutrition, and sustainability.

agro Food Solution GmbH, a subsidiary of the Herbstreith & Fox Group (H&F Group), produces functional apple fibers, apple pectins, and apple extracts for pet and livestock products. Through its expertise in natural plant-based ingredients, the company contributes innovative solutions supporting pet nutrition and product functionality.

Supporting GAPFA’s Global Mission

GAPFA represents more than 90% of global prepared pet food production through its member associations and works to advance pet food safety, nutrition, sustainability, and trade worldwide. The Alliance supports the development of global standards, engages with regulators and stakeholders, and promotes science-based information across international markets.

“Welcoming BHJ and agro Food Solution as Affiliate Members further strengthens the expertise within GAPFA’s global community,” said Loretta Hunter, President of GAPFA. “Their knowledge and innovation will support our collective efforts to advance GAPFA’s vision to improve the health and wellbeing of pets globally through access to safe, nutritious and sustainable pet food.”

Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Billie L. Johnson, VP Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory at BHJ North America, said: “We are delighted to join GAPFA as an Affiliate Member and look forward to contributing our expertise in food safety, quality and regulatory science. Collaboration across the global pet food sector is essential to ensuring safe, nutritious and sustainable products for pets worldwide.”

David Gebhardt-Mencke, Head of Innovation & Business Development at the H&F Group, added: “We are pleased that agro Food Solution has been welcomed into the GAPFA community. Through our expertise in functional apple-based ingredients, we look forward to supporting innovation in pet nutrition and contributing to GAPFA’s science-based approach to advancing pet health and wellbeing globally.”

Affiliate Members do not hold voting rights or Board representation, and GAPFA activities remain strictly non-commercial. Organizations interested in applying for Affiliate Membership are welcome to contact the GAPFA Secretariat at info@gapfa.org.

About GAPFA

The Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations (GAPFA) is a non-profit organization established in Belgium in 2014, representing pet food manufacturers globally. GAPFA’s vision is to improve the health and wellbeing of pets globally through access to safe, nutritious and sustainable pet food. The Alliance works to promote adherence to food safety and nutritional standards enabling manufacturers to deliver wholesome, healthy and nutritious prepared pet foods; to promote the feeding of prepared pet food to support the health and wellbeing of pets; and to develop and disseminate educational resources which highlight and enhance the benefits of human pet interaction. For further information, please visit www.gapfa.org.