BrightPet Expands Frozen and Freeze-Dried Portfolio with Acquisition of Bravo! Pet Foods
A&M Capital Partners-backed BrightPet extends its reach in growing premium pet food category and adds an innovative and respected brand to its portfolio
LISBON, Ohio (October 20, 2022) – BrightPet Nutrition Group (“BrightPet”), a leading marketer and manufacturer of premium and super-premium pet foods, treats and care products, has completed the strategic acquisition of Bravo! Pet Foods (“Bravo”), a pioneer in frozen raw and freeze-dried pet diets. The transaction by BrightPet, a portfolio company of A&M Capital Partners (“AMCP”), a middle-market private equity investment fund, is the second in two years, reflecting the company’s commitment to a M&A strategy that bolsters its branded portfolio while extending capabilities in high growth market segments.
BrightPet serves domestic and more than 30 international markets with branded, private label, and contract manufactured products. BrightPet operates a portfolio of widely recognized leading consumer brands, including Stewart®, Blackwood®, Adirondack®, By Nature®, Miracle Care® and Hamilton®, with holistic and natural solutions.
“The Bravo brand is widely known and has been respected for more than 20 years. We believe Bravo’s commitment to innovation, premium ingredients and the highest standard of manufacturing aligns well with BrightPet,” said Dave Kowal, CEO of BrightPet. “This acquisition supports our vision to be the most valued pet platform in the industry. By expanding our branded portfolio and strengthening our production capabilities, we expect to continue the growth trajectory BrightPet has established over the past few years.”
Founded by the Bogner family in 2002 in Manchester, Conn., Bravo was one of the first brands to manufacture and sell frozen raw and freeze-dried pet food, and is a leader in educating the industry and pet parents as to the health benefits of a raw diet. In addition to a range of treats, chews and supplements for dogs and cats, Bravo offers five meal solutions, including complete and balanced meals as well as customizable nutrition plans. Bravo products include:
Bravo! Homestyle Complete: freeze-dried raw meals maximizing nutrition, flavor and texture,
Bravo! Balance: frozen chubs and burgers, complete and balanced dinners containing essential nutrients,
Bravo! Blends: a four-part, limited ingredient formula,
Bravo! Basics: a medley of meat, bone and organ meat, and
Bravo! Boneless: nothing but real meat or fish.
Melinda Miller, former CEO of Bravo, will join BrightPet as the Vice President of Bravo Brands. Melinda is a leading expert in nutrition, formulation and innovation, and she will help lead the integration of capabilities through the BrightPet portfolio.
“We could not be more excited for Bravo to join the BrightPet family of brands,” said Miller. “We believe BrightPet and AMCP immediately provide complementary resources, enabling the creation of new products for years to come. BrightPet’s commitment to innovation, quality, reliability, and safety provide an unmatched foundation to grow together.”
“When we acquired BrightPet, our goal was to grow the Company into a premier platform in pet food, treats, and care products, with a differentiated portfolio of meaningful brands and best-in-industry production capabilities,” said Ryan McCarthy, Partner at AMCP. “In the two years since our acquisition, BrightPet has achieved significant domestic and international growth in super-premium product categories and increased share in high-growth channels, including e-commerce. We have completed two strategic acquisitions and have more than doubled the Company’s revenues, the number of brands in our portfolio, and, most importantly, invested heavily in manufacturing capabilities to consistently deliver new and innovative product offerings. We believe our domestic production capabilities, growing portfolio of brands, and industry-leading innovation are compelling differentiators for those looking for a manufacturing partner or to become part of a larger platform. We look forward to continuing to add complementary and accretive businesses to the BrightPet family.”
Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP provided legal counsel to AMCP and BrightPet.
About BrightPet Nutrition Group
BrightPet Nutrition Group is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium and super-premium pet foods, treats and care products. Serving the U.S. and more than 30 international markets with branded, private label and contract manufactured goods since 1978, BrightPet has pioneered both freeze-dried treats and slow-cooked, small-batch kibble. BrightPet operates a portfolio of leading holistic, natural and organic consumer brands, including Stewart®, Blackwood®, Adirondack®, By Nature®, Miracle Care®, Bravo® and Hamilton®. For more information about BrightPet, please visit www.brightpetnutrition.com.
About Bravo! Pet Foods
Founded in 2002, Bravo brings 20 years of knowledge and experience to the creation of species-appropriate, all-natural, fresh-frozen raw diets, freeze-dried diets and treats, and all natural chews. Bravo was a pioneer in establishing the raw diet and freeze-dried category within the pet industry. Guided by the principle of "Making Healthy Happen”, Bravo's ultra high quality, meat-based, limited ingredient products are made in the USA using only ingredients that have been inspected and approved for human consumption. For the full story, visit www.BravoPetFoods.com.
About A&M Capital Partners
A&M Capital Partners is Alvarez & Marsal Capital’s flagship investment strategy focused on middle-market control transactions in North America with total assets under management of approximately $3.0 billion. AMCP partners with founders, corporates and management teams, providing the capital and strategic assistance that we believe is required to take businesses to the next level of success. AMCP invests in businesses across a wide range of sectors including Business Services, Industrials, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Consumer & Retail, Government Services, Financial Services and Energy Services. More broadly, Alvarez & Marsal Capital is a multi-strategy private equity investment firm with over $4.35 billion in total assets under management across four investment strategies, which maintains a strategic association with Alvarez & Marsal, one of the largest operationally focused advisory firms in the world.