CHICAGO — Late last month, Wind Point Partners agreed to sell Pestell Nutrition, which it acquired in June 2018, to Barentz International for an undisclosed amount. Wind Point stated the transaction should be complete in the third quarter of 2021.
New Hamburg, Ohio-based Pestell Nutrition distributes feed additive and nutritional ingredients, macro and trace mineral ingredients, and pet specialty ingredients to manufacturers across the United States and Canada. The company operates a network of more than 20 warehouse and logistics facilities across North America.
“Pestell Nutrition is a great example of how Wind Point’s focus on partnering with a top caliber CEO and building a world-class management team can drive tremendous value for our investors,” said Paul Peterson, managing director at Wind Point. “We have now built two high-quality businesses from the original Pestell Group acquisition and our success with Pestell Nutrition would not have been possible without the leadership of Jerry and his team, who executed our value creation plan in just three years. We wish them continued success in their new partnership with Barentz.”
When Pestell Group was first acquired by Wind Point in 2018, the private equity owner set out to restructure the company into two separate entities — one for its Pestell Minerals and Ingredients business, and another for Pestell Pet Products — each equipped with their own growth strategies and leadership teams. Wind Point succeeded by rebranding its minerals and ingredients division as Pestell Nutrition, while its pet products business became Targeted PetCare.
Targeted PetCare, previously Pestell Pet Products, will remain under Wind Point management.
“I want to thank Wind Point and our board for their tremendous support over the last three years,” said Jerry Vergeer, chief executive officer of Pestell Nutrition. “The Pestell Nutrition team has built a world class business that is well-positioned to continue serving our customers, employees and all stakeholders. We very much look forward to continuing our momentum with Barentz as a partner.”
Under Wind Point management, Pestell Nutrition grew its business scale three times over and made three strategic acquisitions, expanding from a regional distributer to a more technical additive provider across North America. According to Wind Point, Pestell Nutrition’s value-added feed additives and proprietary products business grew from 4% of its portfolio to 42% during this time.
“Pestell Nutrition is a market leader with an outstanding management team,” said Hidde van der Wal, chief executive officer of Barentz. “The company’s commitment to exceptional quality and service aligns perfectly with our animal health ambitions. We are delighted to partner with Jerry and his team for the next chapter of Pestell Nutrition’s growth.”
Barentz International was founded in 1953 and continues to distribute ingredients to global markets in human nutrition, pharmaceuticals, personal care and animal nutrition.
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