The Farmer’s Dog Closes First Acquisition of Enrichment Brand Woof in the US
Executive Summary: The Farmer’s Dog, the New York-based leader in human grade dog food, completed its first acquisition on September 18, 2026, buying Woof, the US pet company behind the Pupsicle and a line of refillable wellness products. Woof will keep operating under its own brand and team while gaining access to The Farmer’s Dog’s resources. The deal, whose terms were not disclosed, moves the fresh-food subscription leader beyond nutrition and into the fast-growing canine enrichment segment.
Key Facts
- Company
- The Farmer’s Dog, Inc. (acquirer); Woof (acquired brand)
- Category
- Human grade dog food plus canine enrichment and wellness products
- Event
- Completion of The Farmer’s Dog’s first acquisition
- Date
- September 18, 2026
- Location
- New York, United States
- Advisors
- BofA Securities (financial), Latham & Watkins LLP (legal)
- Deal terms
- Not disclosed
- Source
- PR Newswire company release, September 18, 2026
What Happened
The Farmer’s Dog announced on September 18, 2026 that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Woof, the award-winning pet company known for functional enrichment and wellness products such as the Pupsicle. The transaction is the first acquisition in The Farmer’s Dog’s history, and it lands at a moment when the brand’s core business — fresh, human grade dog food delivered by subscription — already leads its category in the United States. Woof will operate independently under its existing brand and team, while drawing on The Farmer’s Dog’s resources for its next phase of growth. For the US pet industry, the deal matters because it joins two of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer models of the past five years: fresh food and refillable enrichment.
Background
The Farmer’s Dog has spent more than a decade building a fresh-food business built on recipes designed by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, PhD nutritionists and veterinarians. Every meal is complete and balanced, made to human-grade safety standards, and shipped directly to customers’ doors — a model that turned the company into the reference point for the premium fresh category. Woof took a different path to the same customer. Founded in 2019, the brand created a category of refillable wellness systems for dogs, led by the Pupsicle, a treat-holding enrichment toy that has reached millions of households. In 2025, Woof debuted at No. 3 overall and No. 1 among consumer products companies on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
Industry Context
Fresh food and enrichment are two of the demand centers that kept US pet spending growing even as other consumer categories flattened. Owners who moved their dogs onto fresh diets tend to spend more across the whole basket, from chews and puzzle feeders to training and day care. That overlap explains why a food company would buy a toy and wellness brand rather than another food maker: the buyer is purchasing a second purchase occasion inside the same household, not a rival production line. The deal also follows The Farmer’s Dog’s September 2026 agreement to become the NFL’s first official pet food partner, a marketing push that is building mainstream awareness the enrichment line can now monetize.
Market & Business Impact
For The Farmer’s Dog, Woof adds a lower-price entry point to the brand relationship. A Pupsicle costs a fraction of a monthly fresh food subscription, so the acquired brand can recruit customers who are not yet ready for the food plan and introduce them to the company’s nutrition science over time. For Woof, access to The Farmer’s Dog’s logistics, veterinary nutrition bench and customer base should accelerate product development and retail conversations. Neither company disclosed revenue figures or deal terms, and GPI notes that independent revenue verification is not possible for either privately held business.
Companies & Brands Involved
The Farmer’s Dog operates from New York and sells nationally in the United States through its dog food subscription plans. Woof, founded in 2019, sells the Pupsicle, refill treat packs and wellness products direct to consumers. BofA Securities served as exclusive financial advisor to The Farmer’s Dog, and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal counsel. Brands profiling similar trajectories — premium food companies adding adjacent wellness lines — are tracked in the GPI Global Company Index.
Data & Evidence
The verifiable record so far: the completion date (September 18, 2026, PR Newswire company release); Woof’s founding year (2019); Woof’s 2025 Inc. 5000 ranking (No. 3 overall, No. 1 in consumer products); the roles of BofA Securities and Latham & Watkins; and the company statements that Woof will operate independently and that the deal is The Farmer’s Dog’s first acquisition. Purchase price, revenue and unit economics were not disclosed, so any valuation estimate would be speculation.
What This Means for the Pet Industry
GPI’s read: the fresh-food wave has entered its consolidation phase. The category proved demand, produced at least one clear leader, and that leader is now buying growth in adjacent shelves instead of fighting kibble incumbents head-on. Expect more fresh pet food brand owners to chase enrichment, supplements and services deals through 2027, because subscription food economics improve when the same household buys a second product line. Retailers should also note that refill-based enrichment is now backed by serious capital — shelf space decisions that treated toys as commodity add-ons will need a rethink.
Key Takeaways
- The Farmer’s Dog completed its first acquisition on September 18, 2026, buying US enrichment and wellness brand Woof.
- Woof, founded in 2019, is known for the Pupsicle and ranked No. 3 overall on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list.
- Woof will operate independently under its existing brand while gaining access to The Farmer’s Dog’s resources.
- BofA Securities advised on the deal financially and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal counsel; terms were not disclosed.
- The acquisition signals that premium fresh food brands are expanding into adjacent wellness and enrichment categories to deepen household relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened?
The Farmer’s Dog completed its acquisition of Woof, the US pet enrichment and wellness brand, on September 18, 2026. It is the first acquisition in The Farmer’s Dog’s history.
Which company is involved?
The Farmer’s Dog, the New York-based fresh dog food company, is the acquirer; Woof, founded in 2019 and known for the Pupsicle, is the acquired brand.
Will Woof keep its own brand?
Yes. The company stated that Woof will operate independently under its existing brand and team, with access to The Farmer’s Dog’s resources for its next growth phase.
What does Woof make?
Woof makes refillable wellness systems for dogs, led by the Pupsicle enrichment toy, plus treat refills and related wellness products. The category sits alongside dog enrichment toys rather than competing with food.
Why does this matter for the pet industry?
The deal pairs the leading human grade dog food company with a fast-growing enrichment brand, showing that premium food platforms plan to grow by owning more of the household spend rather than only more of the bowl.
Sources
- Primary — PR Newswire, “The Farmer’s Dog Completes Acquisition of Woof”, September 18, 2026
- Secondary — Morningstar (PR Newswire syndication), “The Farmer’s Dog Completes Acquisition of Woof”, September 18, 2026
Related News & GPI Data
- The Farmer’s Dog becomes the NFL’s first official pet food partner
- Blue Sea Capital acquires CompletePet pet supplement manufacturing platform
- IDEXX Laboratories acquires CoVet AI for veterinary workflow intelligence
- GPI Global Company Index
- GPI Industry Rankings
- GPI Compare Tool — weigh fresh food brand attributes side by side
