BrightPet Names Food Industry Exec Kowal CEO

LISBON, Ohio — BrightPet Nutrition Group, a provider of premium and super-premium pet food and treats owned by affiliates of Alvarez & Marsal Capital Partners and management, announced Thursday that Dave Kowal has been named CEO.

Kowal brings decades of experience scaling food, grocery and industrial companies. Most recently, he was president of Champion Foods, a Michigan-based manufacturer of food products for private label and store brands, where he achieved a compound annual growth rate of 17% (compared to the industry standard of 1%).

“Dave is an incredibly skilled executive and we are thrilled to have him join our leadership team,” says Matthew Golladay, former president and third-generation stakeholder at BrightPet.

With Kowal’s appointment as CEO, Golladay will transition to a role focused on expanding manufacturing opportunities with both domestic and international customers, while remaining actively involved in the company’s overall strategy and operations.

“I am excited to be joining the team at such an important, transformative moment in BrightPet’s history,” says Kowal. “With the acquisition of MiracleCorp in January, the BrightPet team has done a remarkable job of continuing its rapid expansion of the manufacturing and distribution footprint of its impressive roster of trusted brands. I plan to bring my expertise to bear as we continue to drive growth on all fronts.”

“Over the past few years, the pet food and treat industry has continued to expand quickly we believe as a result of the growing perception of pets as family members, the proliferation of small- and medium-sized pet food brands with substantial outsourcing needs and the increased penetration of e-commerce and high demand for U.S.-produced premium pet food,” says Ryan McCarthy, partner at Alvarez & Marsal Capital Partners. “We are focused on supporting BrightPet to further expand support for existing customers, accelerate growth, and attract top talent from around the pet food industry.”

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