TORONTO, ONTARIO — The Crump Group, the Canadian manufacturer of Crumps Naturals, Caledon Farms and Dog Delights pet treat brands, announced Jan. 20 it has promoted Paul Sproule to president. Having previously served as vice president of strategy since Feb. 2021, Sproule will now lead the company through a $40 million investment plan to expand production.
Following Sproule’s promotion, Margot Crump, co-founder and chief executive officer, and Joe Crump, co-founder and director, will assume positions on the company’s board of directors to provide broader leadership. They will also continue to involve themselves in daily operations as the company grows to meet increased demand.
“We’ve worked extremely hard to earn the trust of our retailers and consumers over the past 16 years,” Joe said. “Paul’s strong leadership will ensure continued excellence in quality and service while executing our aggressive growth agenda.”
Paul Sproule, president of The Crump Group. (Source: The Crump Group)
The Crump Group plans to add two new manufacturing sites to its production network, effectively quadrupling its current production capacity. These expansions will include a new plant in Mississauga, Ontario, and a second new facility in Nashville, N.C. The new facilities will span 250,000 total square feet and create an estimated 250 new jobs between them. Sproule noted both facilities will be up and running in a matter of months.
Additionally, the company plans to grow its in-house team of marketing, research and development, supply chain and sales teams.
“Paul Sproule is instrumental in helping our business transform into a bigger player on the global stage,” Margot added. “In the past year The Crump Group has seen sales increase by 70%, distribution increase by 140%, and an outpacing of overall market growth by five times. We’re excited to have Paul keep the momentum going.”
Overall, the company’s “transformational growth agenda” will home in on acquiring more talent, innovating its branded and private label product offerings, driving sales growth and deepening its market penetration in the United States and Canada.
“The sheer size and scale of the US makes it an important market for The Crump group,” Sproule said. “With a continued focus on naturally made, single or limited ingredient dog treats, we know product innovation and capacity are key to growth… We will continue to differentiate ourselves amongst our competition as we can execute relevant, on trend innovation to the market faster. Driving a culture of innovation and agility is key to our success. We want our people to truly have the freedom and autonomy to make a real difference to our business.”
Founded in 2006, The Crump Group produces natural, single- and limited-ingredient dog treats under its three owned brands and several private label brands. These brands are sold across North America at leading retailers including Costco, PetSmart, Pet Valu, Walmart, Loblaw and Publix.
Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.
