Inflexion, a leading European mid-market private equity firm, is pleased to announce it has agreed to sell its investment in Lintbells, a globally recognised leader in pet supplements, to Vetnique Labs, backed by Gryphon Investors. The sale marks a highly successful exit for Inflexion Enterprise Fund IV, generating a 5.5x return.

Hertfordshire, UK-based Lintbells was founded almost two decades ago by Dr John Howie DL and John Davies, to provide pets and their owners with scientifically supported supplements to support chronic health conditions. Lintbells’ products are sold under the YuMOVE brand umbrella, encompassing the UK’s number one joint mobility supplement for dogs and cats, as well as supplements to support digestive health, anxiety, skin & coat and dental.   

Since the 2017 investment, Inflexion’s in-house teams have supported Lintbells across a range of growth opportunities, including its expansion of the highly successful direct-to-consumer channel.  Inflexion has also supported the successful expansion of Lintbells into the US both organically and through the acquisition of Walkin’ Pets. Earlier this year the firm achieved B Corp accreditation, reflecting its impressive ESG achievements. The investment period also facilitated the planned succession of Co-founder John Howie, who set the business up in 2006, with Fiona Hope brought in as Chief Commercial Officer shortly after the Inflexion investment and taking over as CEO in 2022.   

In addition to Lintbells, Inflexion has significant experience in the pet-care market with previous successful investments including Medivet and Kynetec.

Lintbells has achieved tremendous growth during our investment, and we are particularly proud to have supported their successful entry into the US market. We wish Fiona and the team all the very best for the continued growth of the business.

Malcolm Coffin, Partner and Head of Enterprise Fund, Inflexion 

Lintbells’ journey over the last few years has been one of high-quality growth. Inflexion’s backing and partnership enabled us not only to achieve our goals more quickly but to aspire to even greater ones. Their network was invaluable in expanding our digital capabilities and bringing our supplements to the US.

Fiona Hope, Chief Executive, Lintbells