Worldwise, a leading pet supplies platform, acquires Pet Factory, a leading pet chew and treat company

Worldwise, backed by A&M Capital Partners, expands its Chew and Treat category and expands its family of branded pet products with its third strategic acquisition in four months

NOVATO, Calif., April 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Worldwise, Inc. (“Worldwise” or the “Company”), a leading pet supplies platform and portfolio company of A&M Capital Partners (“AMCP”), a middle-market private equity investment fund that is part of the A&M Capital platform, together with A&M Capital Opportunities Fund, an affiliated fund, acquired Pet Factory, an innovative leader in the chews, treats segments , toys and accessories for pets. Worldwise has now completed three successful M&A transactions over the past four months, expanding its portfolio to include six complementary brands in several attractive product categories, including pet chews and treats, toys, litter accessories, pet bedding and more.

“We are a different company today than we were six months ago, thanks to the continued success of our M&A strategy to strengthen the Worldwise platform with innovative brands, products and manufacturing capabilities that meet the highest quality and safety standards,” said Kevin Fick, CEO of Worldwise. “Through this acquisition, Worldwise gains a leader in the chew and treat business with strategic national manufacturing capabilities and strong customer relationships. The entire Worldwise team is thrilled to welcome Pet Factory to the family. and to add his exceptional team to our platform. We also want to thank Tom Miller and Marco Corsi, who have been excellent leaders of the company. We look forward to continuing and growing their legacy.”

Founded in 1989 and based in Mundelein, ILPet Factory is one of America’s leading producers of high-quality pet chews and treats and offers premium brand name dog products through four primary brands:

– CareChewz: 100% collagen, healthy, long-lasting and safe daily chewing.

– Twisted-Z: a chew combo with a “twist” of real chicken and/or beef around a beef skin chew.

– True Chewz: a 100% natural baked chew.

– Combo Wrap Chewz: a handmade chew that combines traditional rawhide, pigskin and real jerky.

Pet Factory also offers a line of popular dog and cat toys alongside other pet accessories, and has strategically positioned domestic product development and manufacturing capabilities to serve a diverse range of co-manufacturing partner brands. chews and treats for pets. Following the operation, Greg Hill will continue to serve as President of Pet Factory while becoming a senior member of the Worldwise leadership team. In this role, he will continue to grow the Pet Factory brands, serve its strong customer base and contribute to the broader Worldwise platform.

“For us, this deal was about partnership,” Hill said. “Having made Pet Factory the name and category leader it is today, our vision for the future focused on identifying the right partners who could take our brands and business to the We believe that Worldwise and A&M Capital offer enhanced resources and meaningful opportunities to leverage our multi-faceted manufacturing capabilities, enabling us to fuel our future growth and better serve our customers. , they both share our values ​​and our vision for the future. We are excited to join the Worldwise team, to be integrated into a world-class platform, and to start the new chapter of Pet Factory.”

Since its partnership with September 2021, Worldwise and AMCP have worked closely together to execute the company’s M&A strategy. In addition to Pet Factory, this strategy has also produced the successful acquisitions of FurHaven Pet Products, an e-commerce leader in the pet industry, as well as Kitty Sift, a leader in the bedding and accessories segments. for highly consumable cats.

“When we acquired Worldwise, our goal was to build the company into a leading platform in pet products, treats and chews, with a broad portfolio of brands that resonate with pet owners. ‘animals’, said Ryan McCarthy, Partner at AMCP. “Within six months, Worldwise’s winning platform and approach has already attracted some of the best brands and sellers in the industry. We have completed several strategic acquisitions that have more than doubled the company’s revenue, number of brands in our portfolio and We believe that our domestic manufacturing capabilities, global supplier network, omnichannel distribution platform and diverse customer base are all compelling differentiators for those looking to be part of a larger platform. broad. looking forward to continuing to add complementary and accretive businesses to the Worldwise family.”

Kirkland and Ellis provided legal advice to AMCP and Worldwise. Peakstone served as financial advisor to Pet Factory and SFBBG provided legal advice to Pet Factory.

For more information on Worldwise, please visit www.worldwise.com.

About Worldwise, Inc.
Worldwise, Inc. is committed to creating the most innovative, accessible, affordable, and environmentally responsible product solutions for pets and their parents everywhere. Our family of award-winning brands – goDog®, Petlinks®, SHERPA®, Hear Doggy!®, SmartyKat®, TrustyPup®, Guaranteed On-Board®, PoochPlanet®, Pawscout™, FurHaven® and more – all represent the highest in quality, safety and satisfaction, while incorporating environmentally friendly materials and processes whenever possible. Backed by child safety standards and our Satisfaction Guarantee, our thoughtful, fun and eco-sustainable products foster the bond between pets and animal parents in various categories such as cat toys, grass accessories, cat bedding, cat scratchers, dog toys, dog bedding, dog and cat travel accessories, in-app dog and cat tracking solutions, and more. For more information, please visit www.worldwise.com.

About Pet Factory
Founded in 1989, Pet Factory is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of American-made pet chews, treats, toys and accessories. Based just outside Chicago in Mundelein, IL, the company is the market leader in quality collagen and beefskin chews, as well as other premium dog chews and treats, offered by four main brands: CareChewz, Twistedz, Real Chewz and Combo Wrap Chewz. The company also offers a range of popular dog and cat toys and other pet accessories, as well as a full range of production capabilities for private label customers.

About A&M Capital Partners
A&M Capital Partners is Alvarez & Marsal Capital’s flagship investment strategy focused on mid-market control transactions in North America with total assets under management of approximately $2.5 billion. AMCP partners with founders, companies and management teams, providing the capital and strategic assistance we believe is needed to take companies to the next level of success. AMCP invests in companies across a wide range of sectors, including business services, industrials, manufacturing, food and beverage, healthcare, consumer and retail, government services, utilities finance and energy services. More broadly, Alvarez & Marsal Capital is a multi-strategy private equity investment firm with over $3.8 billion of total assets under management across four investment strategies, which maintains a strategic association with Alvarez & Marsal, one of the world’s largest operations-focused advisory firms.

CONTACT
Gaffney Bennett PR
[email protected]

SOURCEWorldwise, Inc.