ORANGEBURG, SC, and DELAWARE, OHIO — Pet retail franchise Pet Supplies Plus (PSP) celebrated the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art distribution center on May 19. Located in Orangeburg, the distribution center represents a major milestone for the retailer, expanding its distribution capabilities throughout the Southeast United States.

The grand opening celebration included a ribbon cutting ceremony, remarks from Chris Rowland, president and chief executive officer of PSP, and Johnnie Wright, chairman of the Orangeburg City Council. The celebration was also attended by Kenneth Middleton, chairman of the Orangeburg County Development Commission, among 100 other people.

“Opening our fourth distribution center in the United States is a pivotal moment for our brand, and one our team and the community of Orangeburg alike is thrilled about,” Rowland said. “While we grow on a national scale, we prioritize being engrained in each community we're a part of. This will remain evident with the distribution center as we provide hundreds of jobs to those in South Carolina.”

PSP originally announced plans to construct a new distribution center in the summer of 2022, detailing a $53 million investment, which the retailer later increased to $54 million.

According to PSP, the center will fill a key role in helping it fulfill customers’ needs. The distribution center spans 534,700 square feet and will service PSP retail locations and Wag N’ Wash stores throughout 42 states. Once fully operational, the facility will create more than 275 full- and part-time jobs.

“We are excited to celebrate the newest addition to Orangeburg County with the grand opening of the Pet Supplies Plus distribution center,” Wright said. “We are grateful to Pet Supplies Plus for selecting our community and the Shamrock Commerce Park for their newest distribution center and for creating great employment opportunities for our citizens. We look forward to having the brand become a part of our community.”

Alongside the opening of PSP’s new distribution center, the retailer’s parent company Franchise Group recently announced it had entered into a merger agreement involving members of its senior management team and a consortium of companies.

“This transaction is an exciting milestone for our company,” said Matt Avril, chairman of the board of directors and the special committee of Franchise Group. “The special committee and its advisors conducted an independent process and review of the strategic alternatives available to the Company, with a focus on obtaining the best outcome for public stockholders. We believe the proposed transaction delivers immediate and certain value for public stockholders at a significant premium to the unaffected share price, and we have the flexibility to explore other potential transaction opportunities during the go shop period under the merger agreement.”

Brian Kahn, chief executive officer of Franchise Group, has partnered with B. Riley Financial Inc. and Irradiant Partners to acquire 64% of the company’s common stock. The transaction is valued at $2.6 billion.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to continue our business strategy of partnering with high quality franchisees, operators and financial institutions, while also delivering certain value to our public stockholders despite a challenging business environment,” Kahn said.

The merger is expected to close in the second half of 2023.

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