Mars Petcare acquires Champion Petfoods

Pet food manufacturer Mars Petcare has announced that it has finally signed an agreement to acquire Champion Petfoods. The Canadian premium pet food manufacturer Champion Petfoods, which is represented in 90 countries worldwide with its Orijen and Acana brands, previously belonged to an investor group headed by Bedford Capital and Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan.

Ikdeep Singh, global president of Mars Pet Nutrition, stated: “We are delighted to welcome Champion Petfoods and its staff of more than 800 talented employees to the Mars Petcare family. The team at Champion Petfoods has pioneered the development of high-quality, top-class pet food in the natural product category that is trusted by pet lovers the world over. Working together, we will be even better equipped to support pet lovers and to fulfil our mission of creating a better world for pets.”

The dry food products of Champion Petfoods are produced in the company’s own kitchens in both Canada and the United States. In conjunction with Mars Petcare, Champion Petfoods should be able in future to exploit in full opportunities to expand its portfolio to meet the evolving needs of pet owners.

Blaine McPeak, chief executive officer of Champion Petfoods, commented: “We are looking forward to working with Mars Petcare to move Champion up to an entirely new level.” The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal is subject to the usual official approvals and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.

Speculation has been ongoing for a while in the pet sector regarding a takeover of Champion Petfoods. There were rumours back in 2018 that Nestlé Purina Petcare wanted to acquire the Canadian enterprise.