Inspired Pet Nutrition to Acquire Butcher’s Pet Care
BPC was founded in 1983 and is one of the UK’s leading pet food manufacturers, providing wet dog and cat food products under three brands: Butcher’s dog food, offering affordable high-quality, naturally nourishing food for dogs; Blink!, a premium natural wet cat food brand; and Classic, an affordable natural complete cat food brand. The award-winning company also manufactures own-label pet food for a range of customers, including multiples and specialist pet shops, and holds an established position in Poland, where Butcher’s is the #2 dog food brand. BPC operates a well-invested 385,000 sq ft manufacturing and distribution facility located in Crick, Northamptonshire.
Arthur van Benthem, the newly appointed CEO of Inspired Pet Nutrition, said: “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. On completion of the transaction, we look forward to welcoming our new Butcher’s colleagues into the IPN family and working with them to realise our joint growth ambitions for the future.”
Kate Briant, Senior Partner at CapVest, said: “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 across the UK and, in particular, Europe. 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. We look forward to continuing to work with the team to strengthen IPN’s prospects and optimally position the business for a multitude of growth opportunities in the future.”
Tim Watsham, CEO of Butchers Pet Care, commented: “Joining forces with IPN and CapVest is a fantastic opportunity for Butchers. 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.”
Headquartered in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, IPN is best known for its high-quality natural dog meals and pet treats under the “Harringtons” and “Wagg” brands. With a strong commitment to natural, high-quality ingredients, IPN is dedicated to providing affordable and nutritious pet food that supports the health and well-being of pets. The firm was acquired by international investment firm and buy-and-build specialist CapVest in 2020 and subsequently acquired Pet Food UK in 2021 along with its high quality and distinctively branded premium dog and cat pet food brands “Barking Heads” and “Meowing Heads”.
Completion of the transaction is subject to conditions.
