Vital Essentials Announces Strategic Collaboration with NEMA, Inc. To Expand Sales Presence

Green Bay, WI, April 11, 2023—Vital Essentials, the flagship brand of the Carnivore Meat Company, announced a strategic partnership with NEMA, Inc., to expand the company’s sales teams and foster greater connection with more retail partners across the country.

Vital Essentials has been a pioneer in the raw, freeze-dried and frozen pet foods category. Its vast variety of dog and cat food, treats, meal toppers, and snacks are purely raw, ensuring that pets are provided the highest quality whole animal protein available, supporting energetic playtimes; healthier & shinier coats; lean, strong muscles; digestive and oral health; and immune system & heart health. As the leading manufacturer’s representative and consulting firm in the eastern half of the United States and with a combined 320 years of pet industry experience, NEMA, Inc. will help Vital Essentials reach more retailers across the country.

“As we look to expand operations and connect with more retail partners across the country, NEMA will help us achieve that goal,” said Nick Ebert, Vice President of Sales at Vital Essentials. “Mark and the NEMA team are experts in the pet industry. Their deep industry expertise will help expand our sales touchpoints, increase our revenue, and allow us to continue to be the premier provider of raw, freeze-dried pet food. Our expectation is that Vital Essentials will be the most compelling and customer centric brand in the industry and NEMA helps us to bring that to life”

The partnership will increase Vital Essentials’ market share in the eastern half of the country and increase the customer facing sales team for Vital Essentials to a great degree. The NEMA service area expands through 37 states, with a team of 14 business development professionals covering 75% of the population in the USA.

“As the leader in the raw pet foods space, we are proud to partner with Vital Essentials and help support their growth,” said Mark Pustizzi, Owner of NEMA Pet Associates. “We believe in their mission to only offer the finest quality butcher cut protein and we look forward to helping them expand their offerings across our focus markets.”

This announcement comes on the heels of a rebrand for Vital Essentials. Just last week, Vital Essentials unveiled its new packaging at the Global Pet Expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The award-winning dog, cat food and treats unwrapped a new look highlighting premium kraft paper packaging to resemble the experience of visiting a butcher shop for butcher cut protein. The new packaging will arrive at retail this spring.

For more information about Vital Essentials, please visit www.vitalessentialsraw.com.

About Carnivore Meat Company

Carnivore Meat Company is an award-winning manufacturer of premium raw frozen and freeze-dried pet food and treats. Long considered a raw pet food pioneer, the company's freeze-dried products division supplies private label, co-packing and ingredients to customers globally. The company's rapidly growing brands in Green Bay, Wisconsin, include Vital Essentials® and VE RAW BAR, distributed to more than 7,000 retailers nationwide, in 14 international markets and online. Carnivore Meat Company has been recognized for its growth accomplishments and manufacturing excellence with several awards in recent years, including the Greater Green Bay Chamber Growth Award, Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award, Governor's Export Achievement Award, Greater Green Bay Chamber Manufacturing Award of Distinction and Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies. Visit the Carnivore Meat Company website at carnivoremeat.com.

About NEMA Inc.

NEMA, Inc. is a manufacturer’s rep group founded in 1977. We have grown our service area to 37 States East of the Rockies. Our relationships span manufacturers, distributors, and every type of pet product retailer. We lead all other brokers with the most experienced sales team with industry leading experience and relationships. Our sales team is made up 13 industry leading specialists with over 320 years of combined experience specifically in the pet industry. We offer a class leading sales team equipped with the latest technology for maximum efficiency and productivity in the marketplace. Our goal is to provide our distinctly unique expertise to our manufacturer partners, and every customer in the channel to result in the growth of healthy, happy, successful pet parents.

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Media Contact:

Brianna M. Gillard

vitalessentials@facteurpr.com

(786) 897-7106