IQI Trusted Pet Food is thrilled to announce the appointment of Arjan van Waes as its new sales director for Europe. Joining IQI on June 1st, Van Waes will be responsible for managing and expanding IQI’s business across Europe. His appointment underscores IQI’s ambition to strengthen its robust market position in the region.
Van Waes brings substantial experience in the pet food industry to IQI. His career began at VION Food, where he served as a product manager for the retail branch and held operational roles in livestock slaughter, deboning and meat processing plants. He later moved to Sonac, a Darling Ingredients International brand, where he established and led the business unit Sonac Functional Products to commercialize food-grade proteins and fats for the meat and savory products sector.
In his previous role as director at Sonac, Van Waes demonstrated his extensive and relevant skillset by expanding the product portfolio, initiating marketing and sales campaigns, coordinating R&D activities, and growing the worldwide sales network. He also led the creation of an application center for technical customer support, establishing a fast-growing business unit through a synergistic combination of sales, marketing, and R&D activities, with a focus on new products and global customer development.
As the new sales director for Europe at IQI, Van Waes will concentrate on growing the company’s business through consultative selling, targeting both established and new customers. A key element of his strategy will be setting up and nurturing partnerships with customers to support their quest to produce healthy, highly palatable, safe and sustainable pet food at competitive costs. Van Waes will leverage the sustainable aspects of IQI's pet food ingredients, including life cycle assessments, to help customers improve the carbon footprint of their products.
Van Waes expressed his excitement for the future, stating, “It is with a mix of excitement for the future and nostalgia that I have decided to leave Sonac Functional Products after eleven incredible years. I simply had to say ‘yes’ to this great opportunity that came my way. Passionate as I am about the pet food industry, I am looking forward to new challenges, new opportunities, and new memorable moments at IQI.”
With OSI as the new owner of IQI, ample opportunities will arise to help pet food producers with innovative concepts and elevate their pet food offerings. IQI can now access OSI’s vertically integrated supply chain of beef and poultry products, becoming part of a network of more than 50 OSI production sites in 20 countries, with hundreds of suppliers and customers. Several innovative concepts, such as bacon fat, have already been introduced, with more to emerge soon.
IQI invites pet food producers to explore these new opportunities. With OSI’s high-quality standards, producers can be assured of the same high standards for OSI/IQI ingredients, as well as sustainability and animal welfare. IQI welcomes visits to their facilities to discuss how they can assist pet food producers in achieving their ambitions.
