DAD'S Pet Care Drives Growth with Acquisition of ARKAT Nutrition
MEADVILLE, Pa., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- DAD'S Pet Care announced today its acquisition of ARKAT Nutrition, a highly diversified animal food manufacturer located in southeastern Arkansas. As a result of the purchase, ARKAT Nutrition will now become ARKAT Animal Nutrition LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of DAD'S Pet Care. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
"The acquisition of ARKAT fits perfectly into DAD'S Pet Care's strategy to grow our portfolio of brands, expand our operational footprint and bring capacity to the industry," said Elliott Haverlack, DAD'S Pet Care's chief operating officer. "This purchase is an opportunity that closely aligns with DAD'S Pet Care's long term vision of growth and expansion."
ARKAT produces a variety of pet and animal foods including dog food, cat food, equine diets, commercial aqua-feeds, deer food, turtle food and dairy supplements. Their emphasis is on the science of nutrition, providing specialized foods that deliver superior nutritional performance. The privately-owned company is located in the southeastern Arkansas community of Dumas.
"We are excited to welcome ARKAT's employees into the DAD'S family, and we look forward to growing the business and creating a more stable future for our new employees, the Dumas community and the Delta region," said Haverlack. "DAD'S Pet Care is positioned for future investment in the ARKAT brands and manufacturing facilities, as well as in the entire southeastern Arkansas region."
The addition of ARKAT's Enhance® and VF Complete® ultra premium pet food brands broadens DAD'S product portfolio, enabling the company to cater to the needs of all pet owners from those wanting basic, healthy nutrition to others seeking high performance or specialized premium foods for their pets.
"We are committed to maintaining the high quality ingredients and superior nutrition that consumers expect from ARKAT's specialized pet and animal foods," said Haverlack.
Food safety is a top priority for DAD'S Pet Care, and the DAD'S Food Safety Program is currently being implemented at ARKAT to augment the already strong program in place at ARKAT's facility. Integration of the two companies will continue throughout 2010
About DAD'S Pet Care
DAD'S Pet Care is a national pet food company that has been privately owned and operated by the Lang family in Meadville, Pa., since 1933. As the longest standing, family-owned pet food company in the U.S., DAD'S has been committed to using high-quality, local ingredients to create great-tasting, nutritious pet foods and snacks for more than 75 years.
With a nationally recognized commitment to overall pet health and wellness, DAD'S is the first pet food manufacturing company in the U.S. to receive a Facilities Food Safety audit rating of "Excellent" from the Safe Quality Foods (SQF) Level II International auditing standard in accordance with the Global Food Safety Initiative.
The company's branded portfolio includes Rachael Ray Nutrish™, Better Than Ears® Premium Dog Treats, and DAD'S Dog and Cat Foods along with several other compelling offerings distributed throughout the country in all retail channels. For more information, visit www.dadspetcare.com.
About ARKAT Nutrition
ARKAT Nutrition has been in business since 1989 and is located in Dumas, Arkansas. The company was started by ten individuals that owned and ran large scale aqua culture operations. Diversifying over time, today ARKAT Nutrition manufactures extruded animal food for more species of animals than any other manufacturer in North America. The company manufactures formulas for catfish, tilapia, trout and a full line of dog, cat and equine offerings.
The company's companion animal brands include VF Complete and Enhance. Enhance brand dog food is the proud partner of Ducks Unlimited. Both VF Complete and Enhance are sold exclusively in the Distributor channel and internationally to Israel, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada, Turkey, China and Russia.
SOURCE DAD’S Pet Care
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