Central Garden & Pet Company announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority interest in TRIXIE Heimtierbedarf GmbH & Co. KG from founder Bonnik Hansen and current shareholders Dirk Jessen and Volker Haak. Financial terms were not disclosed.
TRIXIE, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Tarp, Germany, employs nearly 600 people and serves more than 30,000 pet retail stores worldwide, offering more than 6,000 products for dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and small animals. Approximately 90 percent of TRIXIE’s sales come from its own-brand portfolio, supported by an in-house design team that introduces around 500 new products annually. The European pet supplies and snacks market represents approximately €10 billion in annual sales and is expected to grow at a mid-single-digit rate, according to Euromonitor data cited by Central.
TRIXIE’s existing management team, led by Dirk Jessen, Burkhard Friedrichsen, and Danny Bollerey, will remain in place following the transaction, and Jessen and Haak will retain minority stakes in the company.
TRIXIE will operate within Central’s Pet segment, giving Central approximately 10 percent of net sales generated outside the United States. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of Central’s fiscal 2027, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
Support: Deutsche Bank AG served as financial advisor and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP as legal advisor to TRIXIE, while Rothschild & Co served as financial advisor and Freshfields LLP as legal advisor to Central.
KEY QUOTES:
“The addition of TRIXIE strengthens Central’s position across key European pet supplies markets and adds a scaled platform with deep category expertise, strong retail relationships, and industry-leading logistics and fulfillment capabilities across the region.”
Niko Lahanas, Chief Executive Officer, Central Garden & Pet
“Joining forces with Central Garden & Pet marks an important milestone in TRIXIE’s 50-year history. In looking for a partner, it was important to us to find a company that shares our values, our culture, and our long-term thinking.”
Bonnik Hansen, Founder, TRIXIE
