Essex Topcrop Sells Distribution to Leis Pet

Listen to this article

Essex Topcrop says it is pleased to announce that it has sold the pet specialty distribution portion of its business to Leis Pet Distributing Inc. of Wellesley, Ontario. The sale will close on July 7, 2017.

There are two aspects of this announcement:

1. Leis will be taking over the distribution of most of the lines that Essex Tropcrop currently sells. The Leis team will be reaching out to all customers in Ontario to communicate the details of its start dates for shipping lines that stores are currently buying from Topcrop, but in general they will commence July 14, 2017.
2. Essex Topcrop has entered into an agreement with Leis to become Essex Tropcrop’s exclusive distributor for its manufactured bird and small animal products for Ontario and the Maritimes.

What does this mean for you as a retailer in Ontario or Quebec?

1. Essex Topcrop will no longer be in the pet supply distribution business. Apart from a few larger customers that the company will continue to sell its seed products to direct, all sales to retailers in Ontario and the Maritimes will be through Leis Pet.
2. For customers in Quebec, Essex Topcrop will be withdrawing from this market from the distribution side of the business as Leis does not sell into this market. Essex Topcrop is currently in final discussions with a prominent Quebec-based distributor to take on the distribution of its manufactured products well before the company’s withdrawal from the market, ensuring its customers an un-interrupted supply of our manufactured products.

Essex Topcrop Sales Limited, founded in 1963 as a family-owned and -operated bird and small animal food manufacturer, today remains family owned, with the manufacturing operation as its core business.

“This sale will allow us to focus more on the key manufacturing element of our business. I am pleased to be working with the professional team at Leis for the transition of our pet specialty distribution business” said Craig Brummell, CEO of Essex Topcrop. “We are looking forward to our new partnership with Leis to grow our manufacturing business in Eastern Canada. Their team will be providing our customers with unparalleled professional sales and customer service support.”

Leis Pet Distributing Inc. was founded in 1994 and is one of Canada’s leading distributors in the pet specialty trade in Canada, with warehouses in Wellesley, Ontario, and Moncton, New Brunswick (operating as Atlantic Pet Distributing), and in Quebec with partners Le Gastronome Animal Inc.

“We are delighted with the prospects this new venture will bring to our existing and new Independent retailers and vendors,” said Gary Leis, CEO of Leis Pet Distributing. “In working with Craig and his team, we are confident we are forging a long-term partnership that will benefit both companies. We are looking forward to welcoming the Topcrop customers to our family.”