Mergers & Acquisitions: Del Monte Foods merges with Natural Balance Pet Foods

Date: May 22, 2013

Buyer:  Del Monte Foods

Seller: Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.

Price: Undisclosed

Terms: Merger

Natural Balance Pet Foods announced today that is merging with Del Monte Foods.

Del Monte is one of the nation’s largest producers of branded and private-label consumables for the pet and human markets. Its pet brands include Meow Mix, Kibbles ’n Bits, Milk-Bone, Nature’s Recipe and Milo’s Kitchen. Among its human food brands are Del Monte, Contadina and S&W.

Natural Balance’s premium food lines, such as L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Formulas and Delectable Delights Stews, appealed to Del Monte.  This merger is also part of Del Monte’s strategy to further strengthen the company’s pet food portfolio, stated David West, company CEO.

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Mergers & Acquisitions: The Hartville Group Inc. is merging with Crum & Forster United States Fire Insurance Co.

Date: May 15, 2013

Buyer:  Crum & Forster’s United States Fire Insurance Co.

Seller: The Hartville Group Inc.

Price: Undisclosed

Terms: Merger

The Hartville Group, Inc., one of the oldest and largest pet insurance providers in the US, has announced that it has signed a merger agreement with Crum & Forster’s United States Fire Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. The agreement is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013.

Headquartered in Canton, Ohio, Hartville provides pet insurance plans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia under several brand names, including Hartville Pet Insurance and the Petshealth Care Plan.

Hartville also is the only strategic partner for pet insurance with The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®). As part of this long-standing relationship, Hartville provides and administers plans under the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance name. The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance brand is one of the most popular pet insurance programs in the US.

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