Gryphon Investors-Backed Vetnique Labs to Acquire U.K. Maker of YuMOVE

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Jul 09, 2024, 07:00 ET

Investment Will Support Global Expansion of Pet Health and Wellness Brands and Provide Science-Backed Support for Companion Animals Worldwide

SAN FRANCISCO, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vetnique Labs ("Vetnique"), a leading pet health and wellness company, today announced that it has agreed to acquire Lintbells, a globally recognized leader in pet supplements sold under the YuMOVE brand, from European mid-market private equity investor Inflexion. Vetnique is backed by Gryphon Investors ("Gryphon"), a leading middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco. Financial terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024, were not disclosed.

YuMOVE is the U.K.'s number one joint mobility supplement for dogs and cats and also offers supplements that support digestive health, anxiety, dermatological and dental needs. Based in Hertfordshire, U.K., and founded two decades ago by Dr. John Howie DL and John Davies, YuMOVE aims to provide pets and their owners with scientifically supported supplements to manage chronic health conditions. It is also a certified B Corporation, a distinction achieved based on its high standards in ESG performance.

Vetnique develops a range of specialty pet products, which are vet-founded, vet-formulated and vet-recommended, including supplements and topical solutions for digestive health, allergy and dermatological support, and ear care. The company is best known for its Glandex supplement, which is North America's number one solution for anal gland disease. Vetnique and YuMOVE are both omnichannel businesses with a shared vision to offer highly efficacious, veterinary-endorsed supplements through pet specialty retail outlets, veterinary distributors, and direct-to-consumer.

Chris Slager, Executive Chairman of the newly combined company, said, "We are thrilled to unite these well-known brands and expand our presence in two of the largest pet supplement markets in the world, the U.S. and the U.K. Our combined portfolio greatly increases our company's scale across the key areas of hip & joint and digestive and will allow us to bring science-backed formulations, clinical efficacy, and patented products to consumers worldwide."

Vetnique founder James Bascharon, DVM will remain CEO of Vetnique, with responsibility for North America operations. Fiona Hope will continue to serve as CEO of YuMOVE, with responsibility for the U.K., Europe, and the rest of the world.

Dr. Bascharon commented, "Our vision with Gryphon has always been to create a global pet health and wellness platform in the $3 billion supplement market. We are excited to build on our track record of profitable growth and help accelerate YuMOVE's products in North America. Together we can broaden our offering of differentiated products and solutions that are consistently recommended by veterinarians and provide real and lasting benefits for pets."

Ms. Hope added, "We look forward to joining forces with Vetnique and together exploring opportunities to realize the global potential of our complementary pet portfolio. We are also excited to gain access to Gryphon's resources and expertise, which we believe will reinforce our mission of enhancing the quality of life for pets and can help unlock significant value during our partnership."

The transaction significantly expands Gryphon's pet products portfolio. In addition to Vetnique, the firm also has a presence in the broader pet health and wellness ecosystem through its 2019 investment in veterinary support organization Heartland Veterinary Partners.

Matt Farron, Deal Partner and Co-Head of Gryphon's Consumer Group, and Eddie Douglas, Managing Director in the Consumer Group, noted, "We have been proud to support James and his outstanding team over the past 12 months, and we are delighted to help Vetnique achieve the next step of its growth by partnering with Fiona and her organization at YuMOVE. We believe that together this platform is a leader in highly efficacious pet health and wellness that stands for quality, research and innovation, and sustainability."

Raymond James served as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal advisor to Gryphon and Vetnique.

About Vetnique Labs
Naperville, IL-based Vetnique Labs is a leading pet health and wellness platform on a mission to help pets thrive. Since its founding in 2012 by James Bascharon, DVM, the Company, best known for its iconic Glandex supplement, has evolved into one of the fastest growing omni-channel pet brands in North America. Vetnique's product portfolio now consists of clinically proven, multi-modal pet health products that are vet-formulated and recommended by vets worldwide. Learn more about Vetnique Labs at vetniquelabs.com.

About Gryphon Investors
Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading middle-market private equity firm focused on profitably-growing and competitively-advantaged companies in the Business Services, Consumer, Healthcare, Industrial Growth, and Software sectors. With approximately $9 billion of assets under management, Gryphon prioritizes investments in which it can form strong partnerships with founders, owners, and executives to accelerate the building of leading companies and generate enduring value through its integrated deal and operations business model. Gryphon's highly-differentiated model integrates its well-proven Operations Resources Group, which is led by full-time, Gryphon senior operating executives with general management, human capital acquisition and development, treasury, finance, and accounting expertise. Gryphon's three core investment strategies include its Flagship, Heritage, and Junior Capital strategies, each with dedicated funds of capital. The Flagship and Heritage strategies target equity investments of $50 million to $350 million per portfolio company. The Junior Capital strategy targets investments in junior securities of credit facilities, arranged by leading middle-market lenders, in both Gryphon-controlled companies, as well as in other private equity-backed companies operating in Gryphon's targeted investment sectors.

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