Sydney-headquartered Real Pet Food Company has bought a majority stake in pet supplements start-up People for Pets for an undisclosed sum.
Founded last year by former executives from Blackmores and Procter & Gamble, People for Pets has developed a range of Australian-made, plant-based, medicinal water treats under the brand Nectar of the Dogs. The product was formulated with the input of veterinary surgeons and naturopaths and contains organic and ‘human-grade’ ingredients.
The Real Pet Food Company CEO David Grant says has invested alongside one of the founders, Gabriel Perera, who will remain an employee of the business.
“The partnership fits squarely within RPF’s strategic objectives and our future growth ambitions in Australia and key global markets. We look forward to expanding into the pet supplement space.”
Perera said the partnership will allow the combining of “the entrepreneurial style and natural animal health expertise that has made us successful to date,” with Real Pet Food Company’s “experience, resources, capabilities and international reach as a values-led, Australian global pet care leader”.
The Real Pet Food Company was founded in 1994 by Tony and Christina Quinn who opened a small chilled dog roll facility in Burleigh, Queensland under the name VIP Petfoods. The business was bought by Quadrant Private Equity in 2015 which initiated the name change and acquired seven more pet food-related businesses over the subsequent two years: Nature’s Gift, Tucker Time, Dr B’s Barf, Billy + Margot, Ivory Coat, CME Factory at Inverell and Jimbo’s in New Zealand.
The company was sold to a multinational investment group in 2017 and has now grown to include nine factories internationally. It sells in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
