Author: Jordan Tyler

KANSAS CITY, MO. — While M&A activity in the pet nutrition space has slowed in 2023 compared to previous years, there is still strong appetite among companies looking for synergy, as well as private equity firms looking for ROI. The pet food category remains an attractive investment opportunity, as evidenced by the 27 mergers and acquisitions announced by pet food manufacturers, industry suppliers, retailers, distributors and even associations in the last six months of the year.Read on for our recap of mergers and acquisitions in the pet nutrition industry from July to December 2023. ManufacturersIn a “multimillion-euro deal” in July,…

SEATTLE — Boss Dog and Boss Cat Brands announced Jan. 29 a new partnership with family-owned pet product distributor American Distribution and Manufacturing Company (ADMC). The strategic alliance is expected to expand the presence and availability of Boss Dog and Boss Cat in the Central United States.”Our alliance with ADMC is a huge step forward for Boss Dog and Boss Cat Brands,” said Vasili Nassar, founder and chief executive officer of Boss Dog and Boss Cat Brands. “We are confident that their distribution expertise will strengthen our brands. . This partnership allows us to focus on delivering exceptional products to…

MEATH, IRELAND — Origin Valley Pet Nutrition, an Irish pet treat manufacturer specializing in air-dried formats, recently announced plans to expand its reach across the Atlantic. The company is actively exploring private label partnerships with brands in the North American market.”The pet food market in North America presents exciting opportunities to build on the growth and success we have with our partners in the United Kingdom and Europe by providing premium, custom, natural products as a co-manufacturing offering,” said Niall O’Brien, founder of Origin Valley.Origin Valley’s pet treat kitchens are certified for food safety against Global Food Safety Initiative (GSFI)…

NEW YORK — A new facility is expected to benefit Hill’s Pet Nutrition by 2024, specifically supporting innovation in wet pet food under its Science Diet and Prescription Diet brands, despite expectations of continued inflation for cost of raw and packaging material in the coming year.Parent company Colgate-Palmolive on January 26 shared its fourth-quarter and full-year results for the three- and 12-month periods ended December 31, 2023, along with its recent performance and future plans for the pet nutrition.Net sales for Hill’s Pet Nutrition in the fourth quarter were $1.11 billion, up 5.1% from $1.06 billion in the fourth quarter…

IRVINE, CALIF. — Several pet-specific franchises have been identified in Businessman’s 2024 Franchise 500 Ranking, which highlights successful franchise groups that have adapted to overcome the challenges posed by the evolving consumer landscape.For 10th For consecutive years, Pet Supplies Plus has been ranked at the top of the pet franchise category and at No. 21 in general. The retailer has grown units by 39.5% over the past three years, now operating 703 storefronts across the United States and abroad, according to Businessman.In 2023, Pet Supplies Plus — which also operates several Wag N’ Wash locations — expanded its presence in…

Pet treat co-man accepting investment (Jan. 24)Cosmo’s Superior Foods, a turnkey private label co-manufacturer of ultra-premium pet treats, has received backing from private equity firm Skyline Global Partners.The most read pet food story of 2023 (Jan. 2)These articles cover the most read total of industry growth, trends to watch, strategic business developments, upcoming label regulations, overseas opportunities and much more.AAFCO greenlights mealworm ingredient for use in US dog food (Jan. 26)According to Ÿnsect, the authorization marks the first mealworm-based ingredient approved for use in pet food in the United States.United Petfood expands dry capabilities with new acquisition (Jan. 19)Vital Petfood…

SUGAR LAND, TEXAS — Accredo Packaging, Inc., a sustainable flexible packaging manufacturer, has invested $10 million to expand its headquarters in Sugar Land. This latest expansion, which represents the facility’s fourth buildout to date, adds 83,000 square feet of office space to the existing site, which also houses a 650,000-square-foot campus powered entirely by wind energy and 100 % LEED-certified .Through the expansion, the company has added 30 new job opportunities to the Sugar Land area, and expects to maintain at least 525 jobs at the site through 2031.”More than a decade ago, we planted our roots here and we…

Entering the saturated pet nutrition market as a startup can be daunting, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t resources available for accelerating a brand’s early-stage growth. SKU is one such resource, and in 2023 the organization is offering its first accelerator track dedicated to pet care startups. One of the four participants in the inaugural pet track is DREAM (Dogs Rule Everything Around Me) Pet Food, a dog treat brand “where hip-hop and pet treats collide.”The DREAM Pet Food brand — which also participated in the 2023 Leap Venture Studio SuperZoo Pitch Competition in partnership with the Black Pet Business…

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Lyka Pet Food, an Australian producer of fresh dog food, has announced a flagship manufacturing facility and distribution center in Dandenong South, Victoria. The young pet food company has invested $16 million in the operation, which will create more than 100 jobs in the area, according to the Victoria State Government’s Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.The new facility will house new production lines with automated equipment, as well as a distribution center to increase Lyka’s distribution capacity fourfold. These operational improvements are expected to drive efficiency and support the company’s goal of providing diets that…

WASHINGTON — The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to ReConserve Inc., an American food and animal food producer, on January 3 detailing significant violations of CGMPs, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls in its Baltimore facility.The inspections were conducted between May 23 and June 29, 2023, and ReConserve provided a response to the FDA on July 14. However, the recent warning letter suggests that the manufacturer did not take sufficient steps toward correction on issues observed during inspections.In the letter, the FDA described violations regarding ingredient storage conditions, where agency representatives observed “dirty, rotten, or decaying…