Convex advises on DJL Petfoods Ingredients sale to RD Capital Partners.
Convex advised DJL Petfoods Ingredients Limited, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of GMP+ accredited ingredients and raw materials to the pet food manufacturing industry, on a strategic sale to RD Capital Partners (RDCP), the London-based diversified investment group.
DJL Petfoods Ingredients – https://www.djlpetfoods.co.uk
RD Capital Partners – https://www.rdcapitalpartners.com
Founded in 2015 by Sameer Rizvi and Iryna Dubylovska and headquartered in London, RD Capital Partners is a founder-owned, privately funded investment conglomerate. Modelled on the long-term compounding philosophy of Berkshire Hathaway, RDCP makes permanent capital investments from its own balance sheet, with no external limited partners, fund structures, or exit timelines, consolidating acquisitions across sectors including consumer staples, healthcare, engineering, and infrastructure. With over 30 acquisitions completed and consolidated into ring-fenced operating platforms, RDCP’s stated ambition is to build the largest privately owned company in the UK. The acquisition of DJL marks RDCP’s entry into the pet food sector and further strengthens its consumer platform.
Founded by Duncan Lancaster in 2017 and based in Newark, the Midlands, DJL source and supply GMP+ accredited bespoke pet food ingredients to premium brands and pet food manufacturers across the UK and Europe. As part of the transaction, Duncan retains a shareholding and continues as CEO.
DJL supplies over 50 SKUs to major pet food manufacturers, pet food brands, and pet food retailers amongst other companies within the sector. The company is well known for its reliability, traceability, and customer service, with a 92% customer retention rate.
Operating from 40,000+ sq. ft. of facilities with a team of industry professionals with vast experience within the sector, DJL delivered a turnover in excess of £25 million in FY25. The business is now set to expand into a wider variety of ingredients, products, and strengthen its sales team to enter new markets.
The business already works closely with carefully chosen, approved, and accredited global suppliers to offer a highly competitive range of animal and vegetable proteins, fats, starches, and fibres. Products include Dried Animal Proteins, Fresh and Frozen Animal Proteins, Animal Fats, Fish Oils, Vegetable Proteins, Vegetable Starches, Vegetable Fibres, Vegetable Oils, Cereal Proteins, Cereal Flours, Flavourings, and Stability Enhancers.
Sameer Rizvi, Founder & CEO of RD Capital Partners said, “DJL represents exactly the type of resilient, market‑leading platform we seek to invest in – a business with strong fundamentals, long‑standing customer relationships, and a clear path for growth. This acquisition strengthens our consumer platform and marks another step towards our goal of building the UK’s largest privately-owned investment group. We are delighted to back Duncan and his team for the next phase of their journey.”
Duncan Lancaster, CEO at DJL, added, “Having spent over eight years growing DJL, this partnership with RDCP marks an exciting new chapter for DJL. Their long-term investment approach gives us the platform to broaden our offering, strengthen our sales capabilities, and pursue new markets while staying true to the high standards and service our customers rely on.”
