Better Together! Oil-Dri Acquires Ultra Pet
Author: Leslie Garber
On May 1, 2024, Oil-Dri completed the $46 million acquisition of Ultra Pet Inc, a prominent supplier of silica gel-based crystal cat litter. Ultra Pet, headquartered in Anderson, South Carolina, is a recognized innovator and pioneer within the alternative cat litter market with annual net sales of approximately $24 million. Ultra Pet introduced the original crystal cat litter, Litter Pearls, in the United States in 1998. Since then, Ultra Pet has expanded its product offerings and established a strong presence in the crystal cat litter segment. Through multiple distribution channels such as e-commerce, pet specialty, and grocery, Ultra Pet has grown its business significantly over the past several years.
Since 2019, the crystal cat litter segment has experienced tremendous growth with sales increasing 5x from $61 million to almost $300 million. This acquisition allows Oil-Dri to become a significant player in this rapidly growing space within the cat litter market.
Ultra Pet’s line of branded and private label silica gel-based crystal cat litter offerings fit well with Oil-Dri’s pet care product portfolio. Similar to Oil-Dri’s clay-based lightweight branded and private label litter, Ultra Pet’s crystal litter products are lightweight with superior odor control. Crystals are 99.9% dust free and absorb up to 90% of their weight in liquid. All of these benefits align well with Oil-Dri’s strategic focus on growing the lightweight cat litter segment with both branded and premium private label high quality products sold at a fair price to consumers.
The combined Oil-Dri & Ultra Pet team is poised to build on the success that Ultra Pet has already achieved by expanding its customer base with a broader range of product offerings. Not only does this acquisition further strengthen Oil-Dri’s position as one of the largest cat litter producers in North America, but it aligns perfectly with the Company’s WE CARE based culture and its mission to Create Value from Sorbent Minerals. Ultra Pet’s commitment to Living Our Values ensures that this acquisition will uphold and enhance the core principles that define Oil-Dri, reinforcing our dedication to the WE CARE pillars.
We are thrilled to welcome Ultra Pet to the Oil-Dri family!