NY-based asset management firm acquires pet retail assets in Romania, Slovenia

On Oct. 9, 2018 The Rohatyn Group, an emerging markets asset management firm, announced that it had acquired Pet Product SRL (“Pet Product” or “Animax”), a leading pet supplies company in Romania and MIMAJA (“MIMAJA” or “Mr. Pet”), a Slovenian leading pet supplies company. The acquisitions join the company’s pet care portfolio that includes Croatia-based Pet Centar, a leading pet supplies retailer across South East Europe.

Pet Product, founded in 1998, operates more than 80 small format stores, two larger format stores in Romania and an online store under the Animax brand. It is also a leading distributor of pet products in Romania. MIMAJA, founded in 2004, operates a retail chain of 16 stores in Slovenia and an online store under the Mr. Pet brand name.

Region Head Colin Clark, Managing Director Stepan Karpukhin and Director Harold Chatelus, said, “The pet care market in Central and Eastern Europe is at an exciting juncture, presenting an extraordinary growth opportunity bolstered by the strong humanization and premiumization trends supporting the industry. Our investment in the region’s best positioned pet supplies retail players enables us to positively transform the landscape. These are important investments for The Rohatyn Group, and we look forward to accelerating the companies’ growth in their respective markets and across the region.”