Primal Pet Group announced that Matt Pirz will be returning as president of Primal Pet Foods. In this newly created role, the industry veteran and Primal Pet Group board member will lead and take ownership of all commercial activities for the brand.
As president of Primal Pet Foods, Pirz will work collaboratively with customers and distributors to support the continued growth of the brand within the neighborhood pet channel.
“About a decade ago, Matt Pirz had the vision and foresight to partner with neighborhood pet stores to turn the freezer into a competitive advantage–and that strategy continues to prove successful for our partners and our brand, said Tim Simonds, CEO of Primal Pet Group. “With his strong relationships and track record of success, I’m confident Matt will continue to find ways to strengthen our business and grow together with all our key partners.”
Matt Pirz led the Primal Pet Foods sales team for nearly 10 years and quickly grew the business. He has always been passionate about the neighborhood pet channel and the value the independent stores bring to pet parents with their superior product knowledge and customer service.
“Thanks to the help and support of neighborhood pet, we were able to build a market for a new category of pet food–raw and gently prepared–over the last decade,” said Matt Pirz, president of Primal Pet Foods. “I am eager to build on this success and continue to accelerate growth within this influential channel.”
In 2021, Primal Pet Foods was acquired by Kinderhook Industries, a private investment firm based in New York, and became part of Primal Pet Group, a portfolio of pet care companies that also includes Himalayan Dog Chew and Prairie Dog Pet Products. Over the last year, Primal Pet Group has been focused on making significant investments across its state-of-the-art manufacturing footprint to expand production capacity and scale the business.
“From an operational standpoint, this business is poised to meet the growing demand for raw and gently prepared food and treats for pets, said Tom Tuttle, managing director, Kinderhook. “With Matt Pirz stepping into this new role, I’m confident we can bring the focus and attention back to the key partners that have been responsible for building and growing the Primal Pet Foods brand.”
