Pet Valu completes 1st acquisition of 2016
Pet Valu has acquired Total Pet, a pet specialty retailer with 18 locations spread across British Columbia.
Total Pet stores carry pet consumables and supplies for companion animals along with reptiles, birds, salt and fresh water fish and small animals. Founded in 1974, Total Pet locations are staffed with knowledgeable employees who are there to help guide pet owners’ decisions for their pets.
Pet Valu has been steadily acquiring pet stores throughout North America in recent years. In 2015, Pet Valu acquired Jacks’ Pets and Tisol Pet Nutrition & Supply, cementing Pet Valu’s presence in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana and in British Columbia, respectively. Also in 2015, Roark Capital Group, the private equity firm that acquired Pet Valu in 2009, acquired Pet Supermarket.
Pet Valu was founded and is headquartered in Markham. Pet Valu is one of the largest pet specialty chains in North America with locations in Canada and locations in the US. Pet Valu locations address consumers’ demands for premium foods for dogs and cats and hardgoods such as collars, leashes, pet cages and toys. Stores are typically fall between 3,000 to 5,000 square feet and offer self-service washing stations and pet training courses. The retailer offers a niche for natural and holistic product, which includes super premium brands and Pet Valu’s private label line.
In 2009, Pet Valu was acquired by affiliates of Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm, to the tune of $144 million. At the time of the acquisition, Pet Valu had 295 corporate and franchised locations throughout Ontario and Manitoba and 61 stores in the US in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. Roark Capital Group focuses on specific areas including franchise, food and restaurants, marketing services and business services.
In 2010, Pet Valu acquired Bosley’s Pet Food Plus, a Vancouver-based small format retailer of pet food and supplies. This transaction was Pet Valu’s first add-on acquisition since Roark took the company private in late 2009. This acquisition gave Pet Valu, with an established presence in Central and Eastern Canada, a platform to expand throughout Western Canada.
Roark representatives announced in May 2015 the company had acquired Pet Supermarket, a leading pet specialty retailer in the southeast region. Prior to the acquisition, Pet Supermarket operated 155 retail stores across 11 states, with an emphasis on premium and holistic pet consumables.
During the spring of 2015, Pet Valu further expanded into the US when the company acquired Jacks’ Pets retail chain. The Canadian retailer acquired Jack’s Pets 32-store chain in addition to its online store, petsolutions.com. With the acquisition, Jack’s Pets is closer to expanding to 100 stores in the next few years, with a focus on expanding in Ohio and neighboring states.
In August of 2015, Pet Valu officials announced the company had acquired Tisol Pet Nutrition & Supply, the third acquisition for Pet Valu this year. Tisol, which was founded in 1974, has nine locations throughout the Lower Mainland, including Burnaby, Richmond, Langley, South Surrey and three locations throughout Vancouver.