Japanese seafood group Umios ramps up pet food expansion across Asia

Japanese seafood company Umios Corporation has taken a 25.1% stake in Pataya Food Group (PFG), a Thailand-based seafood and pet food manufacturer, as part of a strategic investment to expand its processed food business across Asia. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Through the investment, Umios will join PFG’s board of directors. The partnership will combine PFG’s brand-building and channel-management capabilities with Umios’ international network and food industry expertise.

For PFG, the partnership is expected to support the expansion of its seafood operations while creating opportunities in higher-margin categories, such as pet care and functional health and nutrition, across Asian markets.

Expansion plans

Umios told GlobalPETS that the investment will help it expand its processed food business in Thailand and other Asian markets by combining the companies’ know-how, brands, and sales networks.

“We position Thailand as a Kitchen of the World – a development and processing base that supplies products globally. Through this share acquisition, we will expand our portfolio of processed foods and sales channels in Asia and promote the local strategy outlined in our Long-term Vision,” says a company spokesperson 

The collaboration will initially focus on the broader processed food sector in Southeast Asia. However, Umios stated that the companies will also consider opportunities to collaborate in pet food.

About the companies 

PFG owns a portfolio of processed food brands, including Nautilus, Mongkut Talay, and Sea Crown, alongside pet food brands Regalos and Remy.

The company generated approximately $220 million ($220M/€191.4M) in revenue in 2025, equivalent to more than ฿7 billion ($201.6M/€172.2M). PFG is targeting an average annual growth of 10% over the next three years, supported by product innovation, international market expansion, and a greater focus on higher-value products.

Formerly known as Maruha Nichiro Corporation, Umios has more than 145 years of experience spanning fisheries, aquaculture, food processing, and distribution. The group operates across more than 70 countries and reported revenue of approximately $7.34 billion ($7.34B/€6.39B) in 2025.

Pet World International joint venture 

Umios Corporation has also completed the establishment of a strategic joint venture with Wah Kong Corporation’s Pet World International (PWI), a Malaysian pet food manufacturer, following its acquisition of a 51% stake in the company.

The company invested ¥11.4 billion ($77.5M/€66.8M) for the stake through a newly established holding company. The transaction also marks Umios’ entry into the dog food segment, expanding its existing presence in wet pet food.

The partnership combines Umios’ expertise in wet pet food with PWI’s dry-food capabilities, giving the group a broader portfolio across dogs and cats, as well as both wet and dry formats. The companies will also leverage their respective sales networks, manufacturing capabilities, product portfolios, and research and development expertise to support expansion across Asia.

“We will engage in applied research aimed at extending pets’ healthy lifespans, such as developing DHA-based kidney support products, to further strengthen PWI’s business foundation,” Umios told GlobalPETS.

Company integration 

The Malaysian production facility is expected to become one of the major manufacturing hubs for Umios’ pet food business. 

The group also plans to expand the company’s distribution footprint into East Asian markets where it currently has no presence, utilizing the sales channels of AIXIA, Umios’ pet food subsidiary and brand.

The company is expected to become a consolidated subsidiary in the second quarter of Umios’ fiscal year ending March 2027. Following the acquisition, Umios expects its pet food business to generate approximately ¥10 billion ($68M/€58.6M) in operating income and achieve an 18% return on invested capital (ROIC) by March 2028.

PWI ranks No. 2 in Malaysia’s pet food market and No. 1 among local players, according to NielsenIQ. It operates the country’s only BRC-certified pet food plant, employs around 350 people, and sells through more than 10,000 stores and its own e-commerce channels. It generated approximately ¥12.4 billion ($84.3M/€72.7M) in sales in the year ending September 2025.