In 1951, the natural scientist Dr Ulrich Baensch registered the company Tropenhaus (later Tetra) in Hanover. Two years later, he founded the BioMin laboratory, where he was able to test and further develop his products. During this time, he introduced many innovations to the market and applied for several patents.
In 1962, the company headquarters with around 20 employees was moved to Melle and renamed Tetra Kraft Werke. At that time, Dr Baensch had already registered 15 patents for manufacturing processes and 20 trademarks. The company also published its first aquarium magazine, Die Wasserfloh-Post.
At the beginning of the 1970s, production was expanded to the new site in Offelten. Tetra then had about 420 employees. At that time, the first Tetra expedition to the Amazon was undertaken. In 1974, the company was sold to the American group Warner-Lambert, thereby taking its first step towards globalisation.
At this time, garden ponds were becoming increasingly popular and Tetra presented Tetra Pond, its first complete product range in the garden pond sector comprising food, care and technology. The innovative Pond Sticks float on the garden pond’s surface so that you can watch the fish eating undisturbed
Tetra opened branch offices in Blacksburg (VA) and Morris Plains (NJ). Warehousing and distribution were combined in the Tetra Logistics Centre in Melle, and the Tetra Aquarium was opened at Osnabrück Zoo.
In 2005, the American consumer goods group, Spectrum Brands, took over the company. The site in Melle was expanded to accommodate the filling and packaging production that was to be relocated from Offelten to Melle. The 8in1 brand was also integrated at the Melle site.
In recent years, quality assurance was implemented in accordance with IFS Food (International Featured Standard) and the brand’s design was relaunched globally. We now hold a unique number of patents on products, technologies and manufacturing processes.
Voted by a panel of business insiders, Tetra has been recognised as the top German brand in the fish food category. This award is both confirmation of Tetra’s comprehensive brand strategy and an incentive for the future.
Tetra has been recognised by more than 60,000 animal lovers from all over the world as the winner in the fish food category of the Animalis Edition of the World Branding Award. This shows that Tetra has a clear understanding of the requirements of its target groups and implements them in product developments.
Tetra has long been established as one of Germany’s leading brands, which is why, in 2022, it has been named “Brand of the century” and included in the prestigious German Standards – Brands of the Century encyclopaedia with around 200 other major German companies.
An excellent brand and ongoing innovation in brand management: For this achievement Tetra is awarded by The World Branding Forum with the World Branding 2023 in Vienna. More than 100,000 animal lovers from around the world voted for their favorite brand and thus the winners of the Awards.