The main criteria for inclusion in this list are companies that are actively buying and managing veterinary practices. Mixed Animal Veterinary Associates North America, Inc. The List of Major Veterinary Consolidators Name Business support offered (back-office, management, pharmaceuticals, etc.) in newly-purchased practices.Ownership agreement with practice owners (100 percent or majority/minority sale, investment opportunities for practice sellers etc.).Practice eligibility criteria (features they are looking for in a practice to buy).We tried to find out these specific details about every veterinary group: This information will be especially useful for practice owners currently looking to sell their practice. This business model enables making pet care more affordable and benefits from combining retail and veterinary care at multiple locations.īelow is the list of veterinary consolidators that own the largest share of the market. Vet groups buying pet-store-based clinics ( VIP Pet Care in Walmart, Thrive ( Pathway Veterinary Alliance’s brand in Petco, etc.).or the Desmarais family in Canada) buy vet clinics or smaller vet groups to diversify their sources of income. Wealthy family enterprises (such as Mars in the U.S.They are aimed at fast growth, maximizing returns and additional mergers and acquisitions. Private equity (PE) backed consolidators ( VetCor, Pathway Veterinary Alliance, etc.).Patient-focused, they grow at a slower pace, but in the end, develop more solid networks. They are veterinarian-owned hospitals that have merged or partnered with fellow practices. Veterinarian-led groups ( MAVANA, Ethos, AZ Pet Vet, MedVet, etc.).There are different types of veterinary consolidators: Simply stated, a veterinary consolidation is a form of investment when bigger veterinary groups buy smaller ones (or just vet practices directly) to boost profits and often re-sell a revitalized business in 5-7 years. What is Veterinary Practice Consolidation? VetValue has many resources for DVM Owners looking to learn more about the practice sale process. If you are here because you are thinking about selling your practice, make sure you do your homework. We are going to give you the list of veterinary consolidators, which we believe are the most prominent in the market and see how they approach buying vet practices. This article is a snapshot of the consolidation market.
Back in 2017, it was over 10 percent (around 3,500 of 32,000), according to the Brakke Consulting estimation and the real numbers change nearly every month. Mergers and acquisitions are easier to run, taking into account high market fragmentation (there are numerous small hospitals) and a growing number of practice owners thinking about sale and retirement.ĭue to the accelerating pace of veterinary consolidation today (more than 60 veterinary consolidators known so far), it is hard to estimate the real number of company-owned vet practices.Buying a cash business like a companion animal practice is considered a safe and lucrative investment for private entities looking to gain profit and diversify their portfolio.What makes the veterinary industry so enticing for big corporations? Except for VCA, this huge veterinary group also took ownership of Banfield (2007), Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners (2015), followed by smaller vet groups in Britain, Continental Europe, Brazil, and even China. Today, this conglomerate is considered the biggest buyer in the veterinary segment nationally and overseas. In 2017, VCA, which now owns more than 1,000 vet clinics in North America, was acquired by Mars Inc., the legacy of America’s third-richest family that stands behind confectionery brands including M&M’s, Twix, and Orbit, as well as pet food brands including Pedigree. From the first successful acquisition of an animal clinic by VCA back in 1987, other big players followed the example, and the number of veterinary consolidators started to grow exponentially. New Players in the Field - Updated July the 15th, 2021ĭuring the last three decades, rapidly expanding consolidation has changed the veterinary business landscape for good in the U.S.