Inspired Pet Nutrition (IPN), a prominent UK-based independent pet food company under the ownership of CapVest Partners, has announced its strategic acquisition of Butcher’s Pet Care (BPC), a well-established manufacturer of wet pet food. This significant move is poised to enhance IPN’s market position and expand its product portfolio, particularly in the growing European pet food sector. The financial terms of this transaction have not been disclosed, but the deal is anticipated to finalize within the fourth quarter of 2024.
Butcher’s Pet Care, founded in 1983, offers a diverse range of wet dog and cat food products across three key brands: Butcher’s dog food, known for its natural and nourishing qualities; Blink!, a premium natural wet cat food; and Classic, an affordable, natural, and complete cat food. BPC also engages in private label manufacturing for various clients, including major retailers and specialist pet stores, and has a notable presence in the Polish market. The company operates a substantial 385,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility located in Crick, Northamptonshire.
Tim Watsham, CEO of BPC, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “Joining forces with IPN and CapVest is a fantastic opportunity for Butcher’s. Together, we share a passion for providing the best nutrition for pets and a commitment to excellence. We look forward to leveraging IPN and CapVest’s resources and expertise to pursue our growth ambitions and continue delivering high-quality products to our customers.”
New Leadership to Drive Combined Growth
In conjunction with the acquisition, IPN has announced the appointment of Arthur van Benthem as the Chief Executive Officer of the expanded group. The combined entity is projected to achieve gross sales of approximately £350 million (US$461.7 million), with a strong emphasis on branded products. Van Benthem brings a wealth of international business development experience, having held executive leadership roles across various markets with global companies such as Unilever, Coca-Cola Company, Royal FrieslandCampina, Imperial Brands, and most recently, Dunlop. His expertise in sales, marketing, and brand development is expected to be instrumental in driving IPN’s growth strategy.
Van Benthem commented on the strategic alignment, noting, “Butcher’s brand portfolio and business is highly complementary to IPN and consistent with our vision and strategy to expand the business and create a portfolio of natural, wet and dry pet food brands with superior nutrition, which is affordable and accessible to all pet owners. Strategically, it also provides us with an established platform and opportunity to expand our presence in the growing European pet food market.”
IPN, headquartered in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is recognized for its high-quality natural dog meals and treats under the Harringtons and Wagg brands. The company has seen significant growth and strategic development since being acquired by CapVest in 2020, followed by the acquisition of Pet Food UK in 2021, which brought the premium dog and cat food brands Barking Heads and Meowing Heads into the IPN portfolio. This latest acquisition of Butcher’s Pet Care marks another key step in CapVest’s strategy of building differentiated global companies through strategic investment and consolidation.
Kate Briant, Senior Partner at CapVest, highlighted the synergistic benefits of the deal: “Butcher’s is a great addition to the IPN platform, creating a business of greater scale and presence across a range of categories, channels and customer segments. It also creates a solid platform to pursue further organic and acquisition-led growth with a particular focus on Europe and we are delighted to have a CEO of Arthur van Benthem’s caliber ready to lead this plan with his extensive brand, financial, strategy and leadership experience. This deal is a great example of CapVest’s passion for building strong, differentiated global companies through significant investment in people, technology, innovation, and capabilities.”
According to Petfood Industry’s Top Companies data, Inspired Pet Nutrition (formerly Wagg Foods) stands as the UK’s largest independent producer of dry pet food. Butcher’s Pet Care, specializing in natural, wet pet food free from cereal, soya, and gluten, and containing no artificial additives, holds a significant position as the third-largest pet food manufacturer in the UK. This acquisition is set to create a more robust and diversified pet nutrition business, benefiting from the combined expertise and market reach of both companies. For pet owners seeking high-quality nutrition, this consolidation signifies an expanded availability of trusted brands like those from Inspired Pet Nutrition and Butcher’s Pet Care.
