Umios, Wah Kong Complete Malaysia Pet Food JV

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 (Bernama) -- Umios Corporation and Wah Kong Corporation have completed the establishment of a strategic joint venture (JV) centred on Pet World International Sdn Bhd (PWI), a major Malaysian pet food company.

Under the transaction, Umios invested approximately 11.4 billion Japanese yen to acquire a 51 per cent stake in PWI through a newly established holding company, strengthening its presence in Malaysia’s growing pet food market. (100 Japanese yen = RM2.58)

“We have built PWI over many years into one of Malaysia’s leading pet food businesses, and our priority was to find a partner that could help take the company into its next stage of growth while sharing our long-term vision for the business,” said PWI chief executive officer and shareholder, Choy Peng Yew.

Choy said Umios’s capabilities in pet food, product development and international markets complement PWI’s strengths and will support the company’s expansion beyond Malaysia into Asia and other markets.

According to a statement, the partnership combines Umios’s expertise in wet pet food with PWI’s dry-food capabilities, providing coverage across both wet and dry products for dogs and cats.

The partners plan to integrate their sales networks, product portfolios, manufacturing capabilities and research and development (R&D) expertise to accelerate growth across Asia. Umios is targeting pet food operating profit of approximately 10 billion Japanese yen and a return on invested capital (ROIC) of approximately 18 per cent for the year ending March 2028.

PWI holds the No. 2 position in Malaysia’s pet food market and ranks No. 1 among local companies, according to NielsenIQ. It operates the country’s only BRC-certified pet food plant and employs about 350 people, with products sold through more than 10,000 physical stores and its own e-commerce channels.

The company recorded consolidated sales of approximately 12.4 billion Japanese yen for the year ended September 2025.

Japan Corporate Advisory Institute Ltd (JCAI), a Tokyo-headquartered cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory firm focused on Japan, Southeast Asia and India, acted as financial advisor, advising on transaction strategy, valuation, negotiations and documentation through closing.

-- BERNAMA