Central Garden & Pet Acquires Bird Feed Company D&D

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Acquisition Adds Premium Bird Feed Brands to Core Garden Category

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT, CENTA) (“Central”), a market leader in the Garden and Pet industries, announced today that it has acquired D&D Commodities Ltd. (“D&D”). Headquartered in Stephen, Minn., D&D is a provider of high-quality, premium bird feed. The addition of D&D’s brands will expand Central’s portfolio in the bird feed category and further deepen the Company’s relationship with major retailers.

“We are excited to welcome the D&D team into the Central Garden & Pet organization,” said Tim Cofer, CEO of Central. “Our Central to Home strategy is focused on building further scale in our two industries and growing leading brands consumers love. Adding D&D’s well-known and trusted premium bird feed brands solidifies our position in this attractive category and will strengthen our footprint with key retail customers.”

Established in 1987, D&D develops, manufactures and sells food for birds, small animals and wildlife under the 3D, Wild Delight, Better Bird and L’Avian Plus brands. The company operates three manufacturing plants in Stephen, Minn., Argyle, Minn. and Greeley, Col. and sells to large retailers, farm & feed, garden centers and online.

As a pioneer in the bird seed industry, D&D was the first to remove all added chemical preservatives from its formulations, use bilingual labeling and add real fruit to their formulas. Further, D&D developed a unique seed-cleaning process that allows the company to offer the cleanest, virtually dust-free products available in the industry.

“For over 30 years, D&D has offered premium nutrition for a variety of birds, small animals and wildlife, proudly innovating and bringing new ideas to market. We are excited for this next chapter in our business as part of Central Garden & Pet,” said Scott Stinar, CEO of D&D. “Central’s resources, capabilities and expertise in the lawn and garden industries will be key to growing our business further.”

The transaction closed on June 30. Central senior management will provide more details on the acquisition during the Company’s third quarter fiscal 2021 earnings call.

About Central Garden & Pet

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT, CENTA) understands that home is central to life and has proudly nurtured happy and healthy homes for over 40 years. With 2020 net sales of $2.7 billion, Central is on a mission to lead the future of the pet and garden industries. The Company’s innovative and trusted products are dedicated to help lawns grow greener, gardens bloom bigger, pets live healthier and communities grow stronger. Central is home to a leading portfolio of more than 65 high-quality brands including Pennington, Nylabone, Kaytee, Amdro and Aqueon, strong manufacturing and distribution capabilities and a passionate, entrepreneurial growth culture. Central Garden & Pet is based in Walnut Creek, California and has over 6,900 employees across North America and Europe. For additional information about Central, please visit the Company’s website at www.central.com.

About D&D

D&D is committed to manufacturing the finest premium nutritional products for birds, small animals and wildlife. The Company’s goal is to provide optimum nutrition for all types of pets at prices that offer value to the consumer in the best packaging types and styles available. In addition to the best products, D&D strives to always provide the best service and support for its customers, regardless of size or type. For additional information about D&D, please visit the Company’s website at www.ddcommodities.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, could be deemed forward-looking statements. Statements in this press release concerning Central’s business, strategy and focus; our agreement to acquire Green Garden; the ability to build scale in the seed category and add key digital capabilities; and our overall future prospects are forward-looking statements that involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Actual results or events could differ materially from those anticipated in those forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including, without limitation, our ability to close the acquisition in a timely basis or at all, our ability to integrate the acquired company, potential benefits of the transaction to Central and our customers, and other factors listed in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All statements made in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Central undertakes no obligation to update the information in this press release in the event facts or circumstances subsequently change after the date of this press release.

Investor Relations Contact

Friederike Edelmann
(925) 412-6726
fedelmann@central.com

Media Relations Contact

Liz Nunan
(925) 878-9465
lnunan@central.com

Source: Central Garden & Pet Company

Released July 1, 2021