Pet health and wellness company Vetnique Labs has agreed to acquire of Lintbells, the owner of YuMOVE brand of pet supplements.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by the parties.
Lintbells is currently owned by Inflexion. The latter, which is a European mid-market private equity firm, made its investment in Lintbells in 2017.
Vetnique Labs, which is based in Naperville, Illinois, is backed by middle-market private equity firm Gryphon Investors.
Based in the UK, YuMOVE is a joint mobility supplement for dogs and cats. The brand also has supplements to address their digestive health, anxiety relief, dermatological care, and dental requirements.
Founded nearly two decades ago, YuMOVE provides scientifically backed supplements that help manage chronic health conditions for pets. The brand has also earned certification as a B Corporation.
Lintbells chief executive Fiona Hope said: “Lintbells’ journey over the last few years has been one of high-quality growth. Inflexion’s backing and partnership enabled us not only to achieve our goals more quickly but to aspire to even greater ones.
“Their network was invaluable in expanding our digital capabilities and bringing our supplements to the US.”
Vetnique Labs specialises in developing a variety of speciality pet products that are said to be vet-founded, vet-formulated, and vet-recommended.
Its offerings include supplements and topical solutions tailored for digestive health, ear care, and allergy and dermatological support. The company’s Glandex supplement is claimed to be widely used in North America for anal gland disease.
Vetnique Labs and YuMOVE both operate as omnichannel businesses to provide vet-endorsed supplements. Both sell their products through pet speciality retail outlets, direct-to-consumer channels, and veterinary distributors.
According to Vetnique Labs, the acquisition of YuMOVE will facilitate the global expansion of pet health and wellness brands.
Chris Slager, who will serve as 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 US and the UK.
“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.”
The deal is anticipated to close in Q3 2024.
Gryphon Investors and Vetnique Labs engaged Raymond James as their financial adviser while Kirkland & Ellis was the legal adviser for the transaction.
