Today marks the changing of the guard in the marketing department at VAFO Praha in eight years. The post is being vacated by Martin Šámal. During his tenure, he has created a department that not only covers the company’s marketing needs in the Czech Republic but also in 14 other key markets, with particular focus on building the Brit and Carnilove brands.
After eight years, VAFO Praha, the leading Czech producer and distributor of superpremium pet foods, will have a new marketing director. Martin Šámal is leaving his post within the company, where he has worked since September of 2014.
“Martin has basically built the marketing department from the ground up. He came here with a clear vision, and not only did he quickly bring it to life, he constantly moved it forward. He filled us with a sense of enthusiasm and got us fired up about building our brands. And not only us but also the teams of many of our partner companies throughout European markets. He really showed us what marketing is all about,” says VAFO Praha CEO Jakub Majer in speaking about the successful collaboration.
Within the first three years, Martin Šámal and his team elevated the Brit brand to a position of a strong leader in the traditional and online pet care markets in the Czech Republic. Beginning in 2017, the department began providing marketing support in other markets, and in Poland, for instance, they succeeded in making Brit one of the TOP 3 brands. Thanks to efficient marketing management, during Martin’s time at the helm sales in 14 markets increased nearly sixfold to several billion Czech crowns.
“In addition to looking back on my mission, which laid the groundwork for accomplishing the goals that have been set, I must thank the owner of the company and the management for their trust and mainly for the freedom that made our mission a success. We’ve conquered the position of market leader in the production and distribution of pet care products in the Czech market. And what’s more, Brit has become an important brand at the European level too,” says Martin Šámal.
These remarkable successes are evident in the multiple awards that have been won under Martin’s leadership. In 2018, he was named Marketer of the Year for his work in building an internationally successful brand. Since 2016, the company’s flagship, Brit, has been ranked a Czech Superbrand, an honour that it has also held in Slovakia since 2018. In both the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Brit has repeatedly received the Most Trusted Brand Award. Martin also led VAFO to victory with its Carnilove brand in the international competition POPAI Awards, which recognizes the best in-store marketing practices.
