Assets of Zeus and Company Pet Supply Distributors acquired by investment banking firm SDR Ventures; transaction terms not disclosed

Nevin Barich

DENVER , September 5, 2013 (press release) – SDR Ventures, a Colorado-based investment banking firm, recently announced that Pet Food Experts, Inc. (Pet Food Experts) has acquired the assets of Zeus and Company Pet Supply Distributors, Inc. (Zeus). SDR Ventures served as buy-side advisor to Pet Food Experts throughout the transaction process.

Pet Food Experts, headquartered in Cumberland, Rhode Island, was founded in 1936 by the Baker Family. Today the company is still operated by the Baker family, which distributes premium pet foods and pet supplies throughout New England, New York and Mid-Atlantic.

Pet Food Experts engaged Carol Frank and SDR Ventures on the buy-side assignment for Zeus. “She provided credibility for us and was instrumental in negotiations and guiding us to close. We would have not done this acquisition without Carol and her team,” stated Jim Alden, Chief Financial Officer at Pet Food Experts. The company will now serve retailers located in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana and Missouri in addition to its current territory on the East Coast.

Zeus & Company was founded by David Levy in 1997. It began distributing pet food and cutting edge pet products in the greater Chicago area, southern Wisconsin and northern Indiana. Over the years, the company has opened two additional distribution sites in Minnesota and Southern California.

"I have worked with Carol Frank and SDR Ventures in a variety of capacities over the last few years. SDR's experience in mergers and acquisitions and Carol's knowledge of the pet industry is unprecedented, and resulted in several successful transactions. I would not hesitate to recommend them if you are considering buying, selling, or recapitalizing your pet company,” commented David Levy, who has agreed to join the Pet Food Experts family and will stay on as President of Zeus.

"The acquisition of Zeus and addition of David Levy is a great fit to the Pet Food Experts family," commented Carol Frank, Managing Director at SDR Ventures. "The acquisition adds to Pet Food Experts’ scale and brings valued brands to all of the regions it serves.”

About SDR Ventures

SDR Ventures is a boutique investment bank serving the lower middle market, including companies with values up to $300 million. Operating beyond the confines of a traditional investment bank, SDR is reinventing the way business owners approach the market, offering transaction advisory, capital formation, strategic advisory and performance exchange services. Principals of SDR Ventures are registered representatives of Colorado Financial Service Corporation, a FINRA member broker-dealer.

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