RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Harris Williams & Co., a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide, announces the sale of C.J. Foods, Inc (C.J. Foods), a supplier of custom manufacturing services to leading super premium pet food brands, to J.H. Whitney Capital Partners (JHW). Harris Williams & Co. acted as the exclusive advisor to C.J. Foods, a portfolio company of Trinity Hunt Partners (Trinity Hunt). The transaction closed on May 30, 2014 and was led by Glenn Gurtcheff, Tim Alexander, Ryan Budlong, and Matt Conaty within Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group.

“C.J. Foods reputation for producing the highest quality and hardest to manufacture pet foods has led to longstanding partnerships with the industry’s strongest and fastest growing super premium pet food brands,” said Glenn Gurtcheff, a managing director and head of the Food and Beverage practice in Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group. “Under Trinity Hunt’s ownership, the company has consistently expanded its production capabilities to meet the needs of its rapidly growing customers.”

“In a high-growth industry facing capacity constraints and increasing regulatory scrutiny, C.J. Foods is positioned for long-term success as pet food brands seek greater quality and food safety,” added Tim Alexander, a managing director in Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group.

C.J. Foods, founded in 1985, is the home for custom contract manufacturing services for the Super Premium Pet Food industry. For almost 30 years, the company has been the premier provider of functional, all natural and organic pet food and treat manufacturing for a base of the world’s most discriminating brands. Through a series of plant expansion projects, C.J. Foods has grown into a multi-location provider with more than 300,000 square feet of state-of-the-art specialty manufacturing facilities.

Trinity Hunt, based in Dallas, TX, is a private equity firm known for working closely with entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses to provide strategic, operational and capital expertise to help take companies to the next level. The firm has successfully invested more than $1.3 billion of equity capital in more than 50 platform companies spanning a diverse array of industries and economic cycles.

JHW, established in 1946 by the industrialist and philanthropist, John Hay “Jock” Whitney, was one of the first U.S. private equity firms and is often credited with pioneering the development of the private equity industry. Today, the firm remains privately owned by its investing professionals and its main activity is to provide private equity capital to small and middle market companies with strong growth prospects in a number of industries including consumer, healthcare, specialty manufacturing and business services. JHW is currently investing its seventh private equity fund whose investors include leading foundations, universities, pension funds and other institutions.

Harris Williams & Co. (www.harriswilliams.com), a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC), is a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide. The firm has deep industry knowledge, global transaction expertise and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Harris Williams & Co. provides sell-side and acquisition advisory, restructuring advisory, board advisory, private placements and capital markets advisory services.

Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group has completed more than 100 transactions in recent years across a variety of verticals, including branded consumer products; consumer services; food, beverage and agribusiness; and restaurant and retail. For more information on Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group and other recent transactions, visit the Consumer Group website.

Investment banking services are provided by Harris Williams LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd conduct business.

For media inquiries, please contact Katie Hurst, associate brand manager, at +1 (804) 648-0072.