Chesterfield-based Compana Pet Brands names Greg Pearson as … – St Louis Business Journal

Compana Pet Brands, a manufacturer of pet care and food products and one of the St. Louis region’s largest privately held companies, has hired a new CEO with experience in the food manufacturing and pet products businesses.
The Chesterfield-based company said Wednesday that Greg Pearson was appointed as its CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2023. He succeeds John Howe, who will transition to a new role as senior adviser with the company, according to a press release.
Pearson most recently was CEO of Bluffton, Indiana-based Pretzels Inc., a private-label and contract manufacturer of pretzels in the United States, from 2019 to September 2022. During his tenure, Pretzels Inc. opened a third manufacturing facility, adding over 300 manufacturing jobs, and invested heavily in new product development, according to the release. The investments led to Pretzels Inc.’s sale to The Hershey Co. last year, officials said.
Prior to his post with Pretzels Inc., Pearson held executive posts for three years at pet food and pet products online retailer Chewy.com, where he established its private brands business and later became head of marketing. Pearson’s consumer packaged goods experience includes posts in brand management at General Mills and in general management for private label brands at Conagra Brands Inc.
According to Compana’s release, Howe has decided to step down from his post after nearly 15 years as CEO and over 20 years at the company in order to spend more time on “his personal passions,” including his family. During Howe’s tenure, Compana’s revenue has grown eightfold through product additions, retail expansion, organic growth, and acquisitions, of which there have been 15 in the last 10 years, officials said.
Compana Pet Brands is owned by funds managed by global investment firm The Carlyle Group. Its brands include Nutri-Vet and Natural Care foods, Fruitables treats and cleanup brands Simple Solution and Bags on Board.
The company rebranded in March 2022 from Manna Pro Products to Compana Pet Brands, a change officials said was meant to better convey its growing position in the consumer products space.
One of the St. Louis region’s largest privately held companies, Compana reported $620.57 million in 2021 revenue, with about 114 of its 644 employees companywide based in St. Louis. It’s also one of the region’s fastest-growing private companies, with revenue growth from 2019 to 2021 of 74.32%, according to Business Journal research.
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