MPM sold to 3i Group?

MPM produces premium, natural pet food for discerning cat and dog owners under the Applaws, Encore and Reveal brands. The transaction is being led by Will Bain and Ryan Budlong of the Harris Williams Consumer Group and Daniel Wang, a managing director leading the firm’s efforts in Asia.

“It has been a pleasure to work alongside MPM’s shareholders and management team on this transaction. Julian Bambridge, James Bracewell and the whole team at MPM have firmly established themselves as one of the global leaders in the independent premium pet food space,” said Will Bain, a managing director at Harris Williams. “The pet sector continues to see increased activity, particularly for high-quality businesses such as MPM that have performed exceptionally well through the global disruption caused by COVID-19. MPM’s significant international footprint led to strong buyer interest from across the globe.”

Ryan Budlong, a managing director at Harris Williams, added, “Under ECI’s stewardship, MPM has grown into a global platform with a truly differentiated and consumer-centric offering. We are pleased to have leveraged the global Harris Williams platform to generate strong buyer interest across three continents.”

MPM is headquartered in Manchester, England and produces premium, natural pet food for discerning cat and dog owners under the Applaws, Encore and Reveal brands. MPM differentiates itself through its high quality, human-grade products, its natural, clean-label ingredients and its “cat-first” proposition. Its international sales account for more than 60% of revenues, with the company having an established presence in the U.K., Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as a fast-growing business in North America. MPM has developed strong relationships with key retailers across pet specialist, grocery and online channels.

ECI is a leading private equity investor, investing in growing businesses valued up to £250 million. It has over 40 years of experience collaborating with management teams to build successful global businesses. With an unrivalled track record of over 110 realizations, ECI focuses on technological and market disruption as well as long-term structural trends in the technology, media and telecom; business and financial services; and consumer sectors. Investing as either a majority or a minority investor, ECI is currently investing its eleventh buyout fund and manages approximately £1.7 billion on behalf of its institutional investors.

3i is an investment company with two complementary businesses, private equity and infrastructure, specializing in core investment markets in Northern Europe and North America. 3i’s private equity team provides investment solutions for growing companies, backing entrepreneurs and management teams of mid-market companies with an enterprise value typically between €100 million – €500 million. The company backs international growth plans, providing access to its network and expertise to accelerate the growth of companies across the consumer, industrial, healthcare, and business and technology services industries.