Arbor Investments announced Dec. 3 that it has completed the acquisition of the Exclusive Brands business unit from Mars Petcare US Inc. and has re-launched the business as Red Collar Pet Foods.

The business unit manufactures private-label pet food and treat products for various national retail customers. Arbor said the acquisition includes five manufacturing facilities in Orangeburg, S.C.; Washington Court House, Ohio; Miami, Okla.; Clinton, Okla., and San Bernardino, Cal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., Red Collar will operate under the leadership of chief executive officer and president Chris Hamilton, with chief operating officer Dan Baker, chief financial officer and chief information officer Marc Simkin and senior vice president of sales and product development Brad Ball rounding out the executive team. Arbor senior operating partner Tim Fallon will serve as chairman of Red Collar.

Commenting on the completed transaction, Arbor partner Chris Harned said, "We've spent the last three months working closely with Mars and our new leadership team to efficiently separate the business so we could hit the ground running from day one of ownership. The opportunities ahead are exciting and further reinforce Arbor's enthusiasm to enter the dynamic and growing pet food industry."

Hamilton added, "With the support of Arbor, our management team and over 400 former Mars associates are ecstatic to be in the market as Red Collar Pet Foods. We're committed to offering flawless service to our existing customers and look forward to building new relationships as we expand our customer base."

In September, Mars Petcare and Arbor announced the agreement.

“Exiting the private-label business in the U.S. allows Mars Petcare U.S. to focus on growing its branded portfolio, including iconic favorites such as Pedigree, Iams, Greenies and others,” Mark Johnson, regional president, Mars Petcare North America, said in September. “The private label business has played an important role for us over the past 12 years driving scale and growth. As our focus has evolved, this sale gives Arbor the opportunity to further develop this business in the vibrant pet care category.”

When the agreement was first announced, Arbor senior operating partner Tim Fallon noted that the pet care segment “has been a priority (for Arbor.) ... As we look to leverage Chris Harned’s successful prior investments in Meow Mix and Freshpet, (Exclusive Brands) provides us with a proven platform for both internal and acquisition-driven growth opportunities.”

Kirkland & Ellis served as Arbor's legal counsel in connection with the transaction.