TEKRO - PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND FEEDBACK FROM REAL CUSTOMERS

How Tekro optimizes new formulas through testing with real pets

When you want to launch a new product, it's not just about making it and waiting to see if it succeeds. At Tekro, testing starts with recipe development and has a clear priority: detailed product feedback from dog and cat owners is primary, while public reviews serve as a supplement for final communication. The manufacturer regularly conducts extensive taste and acceptability testing of the kibble directly with pet owners, providing deeper insight into their needs and feedback that directly shapes the final product.

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    Dozens of campaigns, hundreds of dogs and cats - real testers instead of lab tests
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    Testing at different stages of recipe development - Before final product production and packaging design
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    Long-term cooperation - years of data acquisition and gradual optimization of new and existing products
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    Detailed feedback from owners - palatability, animal reactions, behavioural changes, condition and activity
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    Data directly used to select the winning recipe with the best chance of success in the marketplace

About the client

TEKRO - PRODUCTION OF FOOD FOR DOGS AND CATS

Tekro is a long-established Czech manufacturer of dog and cat food, which builds on its expertise in animal nutrition and long-term experience in developing products for breeders and ordinary pet owners.

The company focuses on quality, innovation and animal health. Part of its philosophy is to create food that not only meets nutritional requirements, but also tastes good. That's why Tekro invests in modern development processes and is constantly testing new recipes.

With decades of experience and a deep understanding of the needs of dogs and cats, Tekro is a trusted partner for breeders and veterinarians throughout the Czech Republic, Slovakia and other foreign markets.

Call

HOW TO DEVELOP A FEED THAT ANIMALS WILL ACCEPT?

Tekro needs to know exactly how dogs and cats react to new formulas at the development stage - before the final formulation is decided and the product reaches the market and customers. It is not about laboratory estimates, but about real feedback from owners to test the palatability and acceptability of several variants tested in parallel.

Based on this data, it is necessary to identify the winning formula with the greatest potential to succeed in the market while minimising the risk of producing a variant that animals will not accept.

The main challenges of any campaign:

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    Get real feedback from pet owners instead of lab results
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    Test the palatability and acceptability of several recipe variants
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    Identify the winning recipe with the greatest potential to succeed in the marketplace
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    Minimise the risk of producing a product that animals will not accept
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    Optimise the product before investing in production and packaging

"Long-term testing with Testuj.to is a key element for us in the development of new foods. Thanks to our cooperation, we can find out exactly what dogs and cats like and how they react to new formulas before they are launched. We use the data directly in the formulation adjustments and selection of the final version. This approach saves us time, production and packaging costs and, most importantly, ensures that we bring to market a food that our customers and their pets really like."

Michaela Joachimsthal

R&D department, Tekro

Solution

One goal: to choose a formula that will really work

Tekro tests new granules before deciding on the final composition of the product.
The aim is to get authentic feedback from dog and cat owners from all over the Czech Republic and Slovakia,
so that the manufacturer selects the formula with the greatest potential to succeed with customers.

Testing multiple variants & selecting the winning recipe

During the campaign, owners test multiple recipes simultaneously. They monitor palatability, animal reactions and any changes
in behaviour or condition. Based on the feedback, Tekro selects the winning variant and further modifies the recipe.
before launching the final product, which is then marketed.

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Smart tester selection for accurate results

Each campaign starts with a registration questionnaire that each candidate must complete before testing.
This makes it easy to select the ideal testers, for example based on whether they have the right size, breed or age of dog or cat at home.

The result is a highly relevant sample of testers whose feedback exactly matches the target audience of the future product.

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    Registration questionnaire for accurate selection of testers by size, breed and age
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    Parallel testing of multiple recipes - selection of the final winning variant
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    Long-term cooperation and continuous improvement of recipes
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    Licensed reviews, photos and data to support development

Results

Deep feedback, hundreds of testers and data that directly shape the final product

During the long-term cooperation, hundreds of dogs and cats have tested dozens of variants of kibbles before they were launched on the market. This has given Tekro valuable insight into which formulas animals prefer, how they react to new ingredients and how the different variants affect their behaviour or condition.

But the output is not just reviews - detailed feedback from questionnaires also plays a key role, which the manufacturer uses to adjust the formulation and market research with customers who know the feed segment and actually buy it. This enables it to select a winning formula
with a high probability of success in the market and minimise the risk of producing a failed product.

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DATE, DATE, DATE!

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    Dozens of test campaigns
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    Hundreds of dogs and cats involved
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    Data that directly affect the final recipes
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    Hundreds of photos and videos from pet owners

"The cooperation with Tekro is a prime example of how testing can advance the actual product development. Our goal is not only to gather reviews, but more importantly to ensure that every step, from selecting testers to analyzing the data, provides manufacturers with the most accurate basis for their decisions. With hundreds of pets involved, we continuously deliver data with a really high predictive value."

Pavlína Žabková

Head of Project & Customer Success, Testuj.to

Do you want to test during development?

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