Pet Supplement Co. FoodScience Corp. Acquired | News | petproductnews.com – PetProductNews.com

Pet Naturals recently debuted its Impawsibly Good Treats, a multi-flavor line of plant-based dog treats.

Pet Naturals recently debuted its Impawsibly Good Treats, a multi-flavor line of plant-based dog treats.
FoodScience Corp., a Williston, Vt.-based formulator, manufacturer and marketer of high-quality nutritional supplements for humans and pets, has been acquired by Wind Point Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm.
FoodScience was founded in 1973 by Guido and Maria Orlandi and has since remained in the family under Claudia Orlandi’s ownership. For nearly 50 years, the family-owned company’s core focus has been helping people and pets live healthier lives through providing the highest quality products, officials said. Today, the company offers a broad portfolio of nutritional supplements through its brands VetriScience, DaVinci and Pet Naturals, as well as private label and custom formulation offerings.
FoodScience represents Wind Point’s fifth platform acquisition of a family or entrepreneur-owned business in the last 18 months, continuing the firm’s decades-long history of partnering with founders and entrepreneurs to drive further growth and transformation, company officials said.
Wind Point is a longtime investor in the consumer and pet products industries, with select current and prior investments including Targeted PetCare, Petmate, Pestell Nutrition, Tropicale Foods, Stir Foods, Evans Food Group, Shearer’s Foods, Voyant Beauty, and Radienz Living (fka U.S. Nonwovens).
Wind Point will be partnering with FoodScience management and incumbent CEO Sharon Rossi, who joined the company in 2017. Rossi has significant experience leading companies in the consumer products industry. Prior to joining FoodScience, Rossi served as chief customer officer at Coty, Inc., which followed her role as general manager of the Consumer Lifestyle Division at Philips and a 16-year career with Unilever), where she was responsible for leading its customer marketing and channel operations among other roles.
“Wind Point’s investment team understands consumer goods, the pet industry and the supplement industry, and is experienced in both retail and e-commerce channels,” Rossi said. “FoodScience and Wind Point share values such as commitment to community and affirming corporate culture. I am optimistic about this investment; it is a win for our customers, employees and Vermont neighbors.”
Advising Wind Point on the transaction were executives Katie Doyle, Chris Hornung, and Bob Shipley, all of whom have joined FoodScience’s Board of Directors.
Doyle, who will serve as FoodScience’s Board Chair, brings extensive leadership experience in the nutritional supplements industry, as well as in direct-to-consumer and health care practitioner channels from her previous roles as CEO of Swanson Health Products and president of Abbott Nutrition, U.S., officials said.
Hornung founded and served as CEO of Pacific Cycle, a former Wind Point III portfolio company. This represents the third partnership between Wind Point and Hornung, who is also a member of the firm’s Executive Advisor Partner (“EAP”) program.
Shipley most recently served as CEO of FoodScience before transitioning to an advisory role.
“FoodScience is a very strong competitor in the human supplements market with its long history of quality, efficacy and safety,” Paul Peterson, managing director at Wind Point. “It is a pioneer in the animal health industry, formulating animal supplements and treats. The FoodScience brand portfolio, reputation, manufacturing assets and approach to research are compelling. Amidst changing consumer buying behavior and elevated focus on health and wellness, FoodScience is well-positioned to capitalize on the acceleration of e-commerce and growth in human and pet nutritional supplement. We look forward to working with Sharon and the entire FoodScience team in further building the brands and private label business to execute on our value creation plan.”
Claudia Orlandi, FoodScience’s owner and widow of the founders’ son, said, “As a member of the Orlandi family, I am confident that this opportunity will build on the founders’ legacy of innovation, science and world-class standards.”
Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Wind Point. Downs Rachlin Martin LLP served as legal counsel to Claudia Orlandi.
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