Nestle Purina Pet Care to purchase Merrick

Merrick Pet Care has signed an agreement for Nestle Purina PetCare Co. to purchase the company from its private equity owner, Swander Pace Capital. Terms were not disclosed.Merrick is one of the fastest-growing natural and organic pet food companies in the industry, and will continue to operate as an independent business with no planned changes to its management or operations.Merrick has more than 350 employees located primarily in Hereford, Texas, USA; Amarillo, Texas, USA; and Evanston, Illinois, USA.With this agreement, which is expected to be concluded over the next few months, Merrick will be able to build further upon its record of providing pets with industry-leading nutrition, quality and food safety, while taking advantage of new global resources and innovations.