Gordons advises Inspired Pet Nutrition on £6m investment in 130,000 sq ft factory in Denbighshire, Wales

Gordons has advised Inspired Pet Nutrition and its subsidiary, The Real Petfood Company, on the acquisition of a 130,000 sq ft factory in Denbighshire, Wales as part of the pet food manufacturer’s expansion plans.

The Real Petfood Company, which makes premium pet snacks and treats under its Wagg and Harringtons brands and also for third parties, intends to create 20 jobs within two years, with its workforce expected to grow to 100 employees within five years.

Based at Dalton Airfield near Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, Inspired Pet Nutrition is investing £6m in acquiring, refurbishing and re-quipping the factory premises ahead of the 30 current staff being relocated from the existing site in Flint.

James Kimberley advised Inspired Pet Nutrition on the acquisition of the site, which was formerly owned by the Welsh Government and historically the former Hotpoint factory.

Inspired Pet Nutrition, formerly known as Wagg Foods, is the UK’s largest independent producer of dry pet food with a turnover of £70m. The company makes over 115,000 tonnes of pet food every year with products sold across several countries.

Anthony Stones, finance director at Inspired Pet Nutrition, said: “The Real Petfood Company was established in North Wales 17 years ago so I am very pleased that we are able to continue growing and evolving the business in the same location. This is a significant investment which will boost our production capacity by some 600 per cent.

“We have worked with James and the team at Gordons during our period of growth, and their knowledge and ability to work to our timescales was invaluable. They were able to negotiate a deal in line with certain commercially-driven time requirements, and co-ordinated with the Welsh Government and its legal team to ensure that the deal was structured in a way that worked for all parties.”

Earlier this year, Inspired Pet Nutrition won the Sunday Times ‘Profit Track Ones to Recognise’ national award. The award recognises companies which have shown good profit growth and are set to grow rapidly in the future.

Gordons’ James Kimberley said: “This deal is significant not only due to its size but also because of the impact it has on The Real Petfood Company’s ambitious growth plans. The acquisition and fit out of the new factory will allow the business to increase its output and, crucially, will provide much needed employment opportunities for people within the area. We are very proud to be supporting our client in this new phase of its rapid expansion.”