Assisi Pet Care Ltd — the company behind natural dog treats suppliers Hollings — has acquired family-owned Town & Country Petfoods Ltd.
Established in 1974 by the Parkinson family, Town & Country is based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and markets an extensive range of dog and cat foods and treats, primarily under the popular HiLife brand.
Based in Skipton, Assisi Pet Care was established in September 2020 as a joint venture between founder Peter Mangion and Harwood Capital. The company immediately acquired Hollings Ltd, the long established and market leading natural dog treats business, and has now added Town & Country to its portfolio.
Peter Mangion, Assisi chief executive, said: “We are very grateful to the Parkinson family for partnering with Assisi and for trusting us to help take the Town & Country business and its successful HiLife brand to the next phase of its development.
“Having completed our first acquisition just five months ago, Assisi’s rapid growth trajectory is on track and we are grateful for the continued support of Harwood as we move, with pace, to deliver on our ambitious strategy to become a leader in the European pet care sector. This transformational deal has created a £35m turnover business which is well-placed to offer a huge array of products to the rapidly expanding pet care market.”
Tony Parkinson, Town & Country’s managing director, said: “As a family, we are very pleased that our brand will be playing such a pivotal role in Assisi’s exciting and ambitious plans. We believe that the creation of this larger business will bring a fresh, much needed presence in what remains one of the most satisfying markets in which to operate.”
Suzy Broughton.
Suzy joins the team
Another new arrival to the business is Suzy Broughton who has been appointed to the role of Product Manager at Town & Country Petfoods.
With over 20 years of experience in marketing, brand management, and bringing new products to market, Suzy has spent the past five years at Butcher’s Pet Care and Dodson & Horrell.
She said: “As an animal lover, the pet food industry is the perfect fit for me. Doing my best for our pets is really important to me, providing them with the correct nutrition and natural healthy food to help them live long, healthy, and active lives.
“The team at Town & Country hold similar values and I admire the care the team puts into sourcing great ingredients – it has been part of their DNA for over 35 years.”