Acquisition | Monto owner Ontario Ren puts his foot on the pets

Isabelle Mass
Press

“Our goal is to become a Pan-Canadian,” Martin Descane explains in an interview with the group Linear. Press. So it makes sense to get an identity first in the provinces next to Quebec. Purchasing a popular brand allows for faster growth than trying to install a new one. Ren’s pets are somewhat as popular as the Manto in Quebec, Ontario. ”

The Legault Group keeps transaction prices secret. “But it’s the biggest investment in the company’s history,” says Martin Deshans, whose group also owns buildings and shares in animal feed factories.

The acquisition will not reduce the number of employees in the Ontario brand, which has 35 seats and is headquartered in Guelph, employing 500 people.

Welcoming Renz to the Legalt Group in particular will allow Manto to increase its product offering. “Ren is very strong in raw and frozen food,” Mr.

Monto has 74 stores and 1,100 employees in Quebec. Created in 1938, the brand was acquired by Legalt Group in 1983. For its part, Renz has 31 stores for pets in Ontario, 2 in New Brunswick, 2 in Nova Scotia and 1 in Quilp. Three more stores are expected to open soon. “We firmly believe that this transaction will benefit not only the two brands, but all Canadian consumers who care about the well-being of their pets,” Scott Arsenal, head of Renin Pets, said in a statement.

Another acquisition in sight for Legalt Group in Canada? “We’re going to focus on doing things with Ren’s pets, but we’re interested in looking for something else after that,” Martin Teshen said.

At the same time, the group has been managing the growth of Legalt Monto, which has seen its sales increase since the onset of the epidemic due to the growing popularity of pet adoption. The CEO said in another interview Press Last January, the chain reported a 15% increase in food sales and a 30% increase in toys in 2020. ”