Zuke’s
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Overview
- Zuke’s is a leading independent provider of branded companion animal treats
- The company is a pioneer in healthy, semi-moist and fortified treats, which are manufactured domestically using premium grade ingredients sourced predominantly in North America
- Zuke’s core values include a commitment to quality, boasting a near flawless production track record, having never had a recall
- The company became the go-to brand for a comprehensive treat solution in pet specialty, among both major chains and independents.
Situation
- Zuke’s received an investment from private equity firm Encore Consumer Capital in 2009, enabling the company to increase spend in product development, sales, and marketing
- Since receiving the private equity investment, Zuke’s experienced rapid growth having increased doors, SKUs, facings and turns across its retailer platform
- Ownership recognized that Zuke’s had a clear path to becoming a $100 million brand, but had several key hurdles to achieving that goal
- The inflection point of the company proved to be good timing to pursue a transaction, providing historical growth while leaving a road map to future growth.
Our Specialized Approach
- Cascadia ran a limited strategic process in order to solicit terms from the most likely acquirers while limiting the company’s exposure
- Given the institutional ownership and return objectives, the valuation threshold was aggressive, quickly narrowing the field to the most bullish candidates
- Cascadia understood the demand for the company and used that to run a two-step auction process that required all interested parties conduct full business due diligence and comment on definitive documents prior to exclusivity
- Through its process, Zuke’s received multiple bids which were in excess of the projected market clearing price, ultimately choosing to partner with Nestle Purina PetCare.