Purina acquires UK natural pet food maker Lily’s Kitchen

Lily's Kitchen recently expanded into the Middle East and Asia and already has a growing presence in France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany.

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(Wildstrawberry | BigStock.com)
(Wildstrawberry | BigStock.com)

Adapted from a press release:

Nestlé Purina PetCare acquired natural pet food brand Lily’s Kitchen, a UK producer of premium wet and dry natural foods for dogs and cats. Established 12 years ago in founder Henrietta Morrison's kitchen in London, Lily's Kitchen has become an internationally recognized US$105 million (GBP 85 million) retail brand offering natural recipes for dogs and cats across 6,000 stores in 30 countries. The brand is particularly popular among younger pet owners and millennials, according to a press release.

Lily's Kitchen recently expanded into the Middle East and Asia and already has a growing presence in France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. Lily's Kitchen will continue to be run as a stand-alone business from its base in Fitzrovia, London.

"We very much respect the powerful brand, strong ethical values and impressive sales growth their experienced management team has achieved,” Bernard Meunier, CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare EMENA, said in a press release. “Natural foods represents an exciting and rapidly expanding part of the pet care market, and this move reflects our desire to act on consumer trends and invest in high-growth categories. Lily's Kitchen is an excellent fit with our existing brand portfolio, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth with Purina's own world-leading pet care expertise, insight and global resources."

From earlier Petfood Industry coverage:

Nestlé commits to pay salaries during work stoppages

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Nestlé announced that employees worldwide affected by pandemic-related work stoppages would receive full salaries for at least three months, reported Reuters. Nestle will provide cash advances or loans for workers facing hard times. Employees who may have contracted the virus now have a sick leave arrangement in place.

Other acquisition during COVID-19 pandemic

In March, Dane Creek Capital Corporation acquired Tollden Farms, a Canadian manufacturer of frozen raw pet food located in Kemptville, Ontario. One DCCC executive commented on how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may affect the pet food market. Increasing numbers of remote workers may create opportunities for dog, cat and other pet food companies, as pet owners spend more time at home with their animals, he said.

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