Global Harvest Foods Acquires Scotts U.S. Wild Bird Food Business

Global Harvest Foods, Ltd., the producer of the Audubon Park brand, announced that it reached an agreement to acquire the U.S. wild bird food business from subsidiaries of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company for an undisclosed sum. This includes the Songbird Selections, Morning Song and Country Pride brands.

This acquisition expands Global Harvest’s production capabilities into key market areas that represent a significant portion of the U.S. market. The company will acquire the Scotts birdseed manufacturing plant in Reynolds, Ind., and will continue production in Doland, S.D., and Uvalde, Texas. Now operating from eight facilities nationwide, the addition of these manufacturing plants supplements Global Harvest’s national footprint, giving the company new regional service capabilities that benefits retailers with lower ingredient and reduced freight costs, quicker fulfillment times and increased inventory turnover.

“Scotts is the world’s leading marketer of branded consumer lawn and garden products. Acquiring their wild bird food business allows us to expand our retail relationships with a broader product offering while maintaining our diligent customer service and product-quality focus,” said Ed Mills, co-founder and principal of Global Harvest Foods. “During this time, we strive to make the transition as smooth as possible for the retailers and customers of both companies.”

As one of the first wild bird food manufacturers to earn compliance under FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act, Global Harvest will continue to follow stringent food safety and manufacturing processes in its newly acquired facilities. This includes annual audits through the British Retail Consortium (BRC), American Institute of Bakeries (AIB) affiliate, to meet the standards of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). GFSI certification helps ensure companies are meeting the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

“While we have made a strategic decision to exit the U.S. wild bird food business, Global Harvest stands out as a leader in the industry when it comes to the core values of quality customer service and producing the finest in seed and bird food products,” said Mike Lukemire, Scotts Miracle-Gro Executive Vice President, Chief Business Operations Officer. “This is why we selected them for this transaction. We care about our customers and this development will ensure that our customers continue to receive high-quality products.”