RED BAY, ALA. — Sunshine Mills, Inc., a family-owned and operated pet food and treat manufacturer, has acquired Red Collar Pet Foods’ pet treat production facility in Joplin, Mo., from private equity Arbor Investments. The facility will provide Sunshine Mills with additional capacity for baked and cold-formed pet treats.

“It was immediately clear to me that the high-quality operations, strong customer relationships and the highly experienced team in Joplin were the perfect fit to join the Sunshine Mills family,” said Alan Bostick, president and chief executive officer of Sunshine Mills. “The Joplin addition further strengthens our tradition of proudly serving the world’s pets with a variety of foods and treats at affordable prices.”

The facility spans 200,000 square feet of production and warehouse space and sits on 18 acres. According to Red Collar Pet Foods, nearly 130 people are employed at the Joplin pet treat facility and will offer Sunshine Mills with expertise in manufacturing baked biscuits and cold-formed treats for cats and dogs. The facility’s central location in Joplin allows for more efficient distribution, according to Red Collar Pet Foods.

“We are thrilled to see the knowledgeable and engaged team of associates at Joplin join the like-minded family at Sunshine Mills,” said Greg Wolking, president and chief executive officer at Red Collar Pet Foods. “We now look forward to crossing paths with them as our industry colleagues while Red Collar continues to serve customers and key retailers.”

The sale of the Joplin pet treat facility follows several sales of Red Collar Pet Foods’ other facilities throughout the United States. In October 2022, the company sold its dry pet food manufacturing operations in Orangeburg, SC, Clinton, Okla., and Court House, Ohio, to Hill’s Pet Nutrition. In March 2023, Red Collar Pet Foods sold its pet treat facility in Miami, Okla., to Nestlé Purina.

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