Dog Food Manufacturer United Petfood Acquires Wellness Pet Company’s Decatur Facility in Third North American Expansion
Executive Summary: United Petfood, the Belgian private-label pet food manufacturer, signed a definitive agreement on September 22, 2026, to acquire a dry-food production facility in Decatur, Arkansas, from Wellness Pet Company. The transaction includes a long-term supply agreement and will make Decatur the company’s third production site in North America, alongside existing plants in Mishawaka, Indiana, and Drummondville, Quebec.
Key Facts
- Buyer
- United Petfood Group (Belgium)
- Seller / counterparty
- Wellness Pet Company
- Asset
- Dry pet food production facility in Decatur, Arkansas, USA
- Category
- Asset acquisition + long-term supply agreement
- Announcement date
- September 22, 2026
- North American network
- Decatur, AR; Mishawaka, IN; Drummondville, QC
- CEO
- Dries Eeckhout, United Petfood Group
- Source
- United Petfood press release + trade coverage
What Happened
United Petfood announced on September 22, 2026, that it had signed a definitive agreement to buy the dry pet food production site in Decatur, Arkansas, from Wellness Pet Company. The companies also signed a long-term supply agreement that keeps a commercial relationship between them after the facility changes hands. Decatur becomes United Petfood’s third pet food manufacturer location in North America.
The Belgian group already operates facilities in Mishawaka, Indiana, and Drummondville, Quebec. The Mishawaka plant was itself acquired from Wellness Pet Company in 2024; at that time Wellness said it intended to move production to Decatur, a larger site it had acquired in 2022. United Petfood’s new deal effectively completes that transition while giving the private-label group additional U.S. capacity.
Chief executive Dries Eeckhout described the Decatur site as adding capacity and flexibility to respond to customer demand, and as another step in strengthening United Petfood’s production footprint across North America. The company said local production would let it combine regional manufacturing with the expertise of its international network of pet kitchens.
Background
United Petfood is a private-label pet food manufacturer founded in 1994. It produces dry and wet foods, treats and snacks for retailers and pet food brands, operating more than 30 pet kitchens worldwide. Its business model is built on custom recipes made in-house and co-manufacturing for third-party labels rather than owning a portfolio of consumer brands.
Wellness Pet Company, the seller, has been reshaping its U.S. manufacturing footprint over the past two years. The 2024 sale of the Mishawaka plant to United Petfood coincided with Wellness’s plan to concentrate volume at Decatur. Selling Decatur now suggests Wellness is comfortable outsourcing a portion of its production needs to the same partner while retaining control of its brands and marketing.
Industry Context
The deal arrives during a sustained wave of capacity investment in North American and European pet food manufacturing. Nestlé Purina opened a USD 550 million greenfield plant in Batavia, Ohio, in August 2026 and is adding a THB 64 billion complex in Rayong, Thailand. Gambol Pet Group is funding a 300,000-tonne premium staple plant in China through a RMB 1.1 billion convertible bond, and Tianjin Langnuo is commissioning a freeze-dried facility with a public viewing corridor.
For retailers and brands, the consolidation of co-manufacturing capacity among a smaller group of large pet food manufacturer companies carries sourcing implications. United Petfood’s three-site North American footprint gives it geographic redundancy and the ability to switch production between dry extrusion lines in the United States and Canada.
Market & Business Impact
The transaction signals that private-label pet food production is becoming more concentrated among multi-site operators. For any dog food manufacturer seeking to serve U.S. retailers, a plant in Arkansas offers proximity to Midwest and Southern distribution networks and reduces reliance on imported finished goods or single-source co-packers.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but the inclusion of a long-term supply agreement lowers Wellness’s exit risk and gives United Petfood immediate volume to amortize the acquisition. The combined United Petfood–Wellness manufacturing relationship now spans three plants across two countries, making it one of the more significant private-label manufacturing partnerships in the industry.
Companies & Brands Involved
United Petfood Group is the buyer and will operate the Decatur facility. Wellness Pet Company remains a key customer through the long-term supply agreement. The Decatur plant adds to United Petfood’s existing Mishawaka, Indiana, and Drummondville, Quebec, sites. Trade coverage was provided by Feed Business Middle East & Africa and PET worldwide.
Data & Evidence
Announcement date: September 22, 2026. Buyer: United Petfood Group (Belgium). Seller: Wellness Pet Company. Asset: dry pet food production facility in Decatur, Arkansas. Additional sites: Mishawaka, Indiana (acquired from Wellness in 2024) and Drummondville, Quebec (acquired from Legault Group in April 2026). Source of quote: Dries Eeckhout, CEO, United Petfood Group, in company press release dated September 22, 2026.
What This Means for the Pet Industry
The acquisition shows that private-label pet food manufacturer capacity is being rebuilt around a handful of large, multi-country operators. Smaller brands that rely on outsourced production may face tighter availability of dry extrusion slots as these operators absorb volume from their own supply agreements. Retailers sourcing private-label dry diets should expect continued consolidation in the co-manufacturing base through 2027. For buyers searching the Dry Pet Food manufacturer directory, United Petfood’s expanded U.S. footprint adds another large-scale option, while the Dog Food manufacturer directory lane now points to a North American network with three sites rather than one.
Key Takeaways
- United Petfood signed a definitive agreement on September 22, 2026, to acquire Wellness Pet Company’s Decatur, Arkansas, dry-food production facility.
- The deal includes a long-term supply agreement and creates United Petfood’s third North American production site.
- United Petfood previously bought Wellness’s Mishawaka, Indiana, plant in 2024 and acquired a Drummondville, Quebec, facility in April 2026.
- The move adds U.S. capacity for private-label dry diets and reinforces the trend toward fewer, larger pet food manufacturer companies.
- Retailers and brands sourcing private-label dry food should monitor slot availability as co-manufacturing capacity consolidates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did United Petfood acquire?
United Petfood agreed to buy the dry pet food production facility in Decatur, Arkansas, from Wellness Pet Company, plus a long-term supply agreement with Wellness.
How many North American plants does United Petfood now have?
Three: Decatur, Arkansas; Mishawaka, Indiana; and Drummondville, Quebec.
Why is this important for private-label pet food?
It concentrates dry-food co-manufacturing capacity with a single multi-site operator, giving brands and retailers a larger pet food manufacturer partner but potentially reducing the number of alternative production slots.
What is the Dog Food manufacturer directory relevance?
The acquisition changes the North American landscape for any dog food manufacturer listed in the Dog Food manufacturer directory, because United Petfood now controls additional U.S. extrusion capacity that competes for private-label contracts.
Sources
- Primary — United Petfood, “United Petfood expands North American footprint,” unitedpetfood.eu, September 22, 2026
- Secondary — Feed Business Middle East & Africa, “United Petfood expands North American footprint,” feedbusinessmea.com, September 23, 2026
- Secondary — PET worldwide, “United Petfood adds third North American site,” petworldwide.net, September 24, 2026
