3i Group picks bankers to sell pet food maker MPM - report

Listed private equity firm 3i Group has reportedly picked bankers to sell the pet food manufacturer behind leading brands such as Applaws.

According to Sky News, 3i has appointed Harris Williams to handle an auction of MPM four years after it bought a controlling stake in the company. Based in Manchester, MPM was founded in 2002 and focuses on branded premium pet food products.

Its other brands include Encore and Reveal.

3i invested roughly £125m in MPM in November 2020 alongside the company's management team.

A sale, which would be likely to take place sometime in 2025, would be likely to rank among 3i's biggest exits for years.

The investment group has come under growing scrutiny in recent months as its most valuable holding, the Dutch-based discount retailer, occupies an increasingly dominant place in its portfolio.

Shares in 3i have risen by two-thirds over the last year, and the company now has a market capitalisation of over £32bn.

Its soaring stock price has drawn attention from short-sellers who believe that Action is now overvalued by the firm.

3i and Harris Williams declined to comment to Sky News.