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ECI gobbles up posh pet food brands

Private equity firm ECI Partners has bought a majority stake in the Cheshire-based owner of premium pet food brands Applaws and Encore in a deal worth about £50m.

ECI has invested in Macclesfield-based MPM, which is also behind Nature’s Calling cat litter. The company has been growing revenues by around 25 per cent per year over the last few years and is expected to generate approximately £50m in global sales this year.

The MPM management team, headed by chief executive Julian Bambridge and chief financial officer James Bracewell, will continue to lead the business, in partnership with ECI. MPM was founded by Roger Coleman, Roger Wood and Jon Kinsey, who welcome the financial backing of ECI and remain as minority shareholders in the business.

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