United Petfood entered the US market with the acquisition of a production facility in Mishawaka, Indiana. Wellness Pet Company. The acquisition marks a major milestone for United Petfood as it will be its first plant in the United States.
Wellness Pet Company plans to move production to another facility.
United Petfood specializes in private labeling of dry pet food, wet pet food, treats and snacks. The Belgian family-owned company operates pet food manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Romania and Turkey. The group also operates five manufacturing facilities in France, three in Poland, three in the UK and six in the Netherlands. United Petfood is distributed in more than 95 countries.
This strategic move to establish local manufacturing in the United States marks an important step in consolidating its presence in this important market, the company said. Elodie Fleury, vice president of Americas for United Petfood.
“We are excited to take our first step into the U.S. market with the acquisition of the Mishawaka plant,” said Fleury. “This acquisition will enable us to further offer our U.S. customers high-quality, locally produced pet food. We see great opportunities for growth and collaboration and are excited about the potential synergies between our operations across different continents.”
Wellness Pet moves production
Meanwhile, Wellness Pet CEO Reid Howlett is pleased that ownership of the Mishawaka facility is now in United Petfood’s hands.
“This will ensure a smooth transition for our team members who have worked at the facility for many years and have been part of the Wherry family,” Howlett said. “We are proud to have been a part of the Mishawaka community for almost 20 years.”
Wellness Pet acquired a sizable facility in Decatur, Arkansas in 2022. The company said this is well placed to support its growth in the short and medium term.Headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, Wellness Pet, a global supplier of premium pet food and treats, also has facilities in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, and the Netherlands.
United Petfood continues acquisition trend
according to A leading company in the pet food industry United Petfood has been on a 10-year streak of acquisitions, according to the data. In January, it signed a share purchase agreement to acquire Vital Petfood Group, an Ørgod, Denmark-based manufacturer of dry and semi-moist cat and dog food under private label and company-brand Go Care and Go Care Royal.
The company acquired Dutch company De Haan Petfood in December 2023. Based in Nieuwcoop, Netherlands, De Haan specializes in the production of wet food for dogs and cats in the form of high-quality meat loaves with gravy.
In February 2023, the company acquired an equity stake in Turkey-based Lider Pet Food, which continues to operate independently. Lider Pet Food was founded in 2009 in Salil, Turkey. The company’s annual revenue in 2021 was US$98 million. Latest data on top companies in the pet food industry.
History of United Petfood
2024 (January): United Petfood acquires Vital Petfood Group, Åregod, Denmark.
2023 (December): United Petfood acquires De Haan Petfood, based in Nieuwcoop, Netherlands.
2023 (February): United Petfood acquires a stake in Turkey-based Lider Pet Food.
2022 (April): United Petfood acquires Neodis-Mornac, a French company that makes dry pet food for dogs and cats.
In October 2021, United Petfood acquired Teeling Petfood, a Dutch manufacturer of wet food for dogs and cats.
2021 (March): United Petfood acquires the UK’s Cambrian Petfoods.
2020 (June): United Petfood acquires Jonker Petfood.
2020 (April): United Petfood acquires the IAMS Europe pet food factory in Coevorden, Netherlands. Spectrum brand.
2020 (January): United Petfood acquires Effeffe Petfood.
2019: Acquisition of the production site in Pieve Porto Morone, Italy. Acquisition of the factory in Radom, Poland.
2018 (July): United Petfood acquires Bynsa Group.
2018: United Petfood opens a new factory in Biskupice, Poland. It acquires a production facility in Coevorden, Netherlands, a new factory in Zaragoza, Spain and a new factory in Bufutea, Romania.
2017: Acquires French company Crusty Food and develops 95% organic pet food
2016: United Petfood secures growth capital from Waterland Private Equity Investments.
2015: Acquisition of production site in Saint-Martin (Nantes), France
2014 (July): United Petfood acquires French production plant Petfood Plus à Yzeure, bringing the total number of manufacturing facilities in France to three and five overall.
2013 (July): United Petfood announces the acquisition of Continentale Nutrition’s dry pet food business in France, which includes a dry pet food factory and a biscuit factory.
2003: Opening of production facility in Ghent, Belgium.
