UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  March 14, 2023

Freshpet, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
 
001-36729
 
20-1884894
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

400 PLAZA DRIVE, 1ST FLOOR
SECAUCUS, New Jersey
 
07094
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  201 520-4000

Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
___________________
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock
FRPT
The NASDAQ Global Market


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter):

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐



Item 1.02.
Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.
 
On March 13, 2023, Freshpet, Inc. (the “Company”), notified City National Bank ("CNB"), in its capacity as administrative agent under Freshpet's Sixth Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement, dated as of February 19, 2021, by and among the Company, as borrower, CNB, as the arranger and administrative agent, and the lenders party thereto (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), of Freshpet's intent to terminate the Credit Agreement, with such termination to become effective as of March 15, 2023 (the “Termination Date”), in connection with the proposed offering of Notes (as defined below) described in Item 8.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K.  The Company has no borrowings outstanding under the Credit Agreement as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K and will not have any borrowings outstanding as of the Termination Date.

Item 8.01.
Other Events.

On March 14, 2023, the Company issued a press release relating to its proposed offering of Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”) to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.

Neither this Current Report on Form 8-K nor the press release constitutes an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, the Notes or the shares of the Company’s common stock, if any, issuable upon conversion of the Notes.


Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 
(d)
Exhibits

Exhibit
No.
 
Description of Exhibit
 99.1
 

SIGNATURE
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 
FRESHPET, INC.
 
 
Date: March 14, 2023
By:
/s/ Todd Cunfer
 
Name: Todd Cunfer
 
Title:   Chief Financial Officer


Exhibit 99.1





Freshpet, Inc. Announces Proposed Convertible Senior Notes Offering

SECAUCUS, N.J.—(GLOBE NEWSWIRE)—March 14, 2023—Freshpet, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRPT) (“Freshpet” or the “Company”) today announced its intention to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2028 (the “notes”) in a private offering to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Freshpet also expects to grant the initial purchasers of the notes an option to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date the notes are first issued, up to an additional $52,500,000 principal amount of notes.

The notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of Freshpet, will accrue interest payable semi-annually in arrears and will mature on April 1, 2028, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Noteholders will have the right to convert their notes in certain circumstances and during specified periods. Freshpet will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its common stock or a combination of cash and shares of its common stock, at Freshpet’s election.

The notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to certain limitations), for cash at Freshpet’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after April 3, 2026 and on or before the 40th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, but only if the last reported sale price per share of Freshpet’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price for a specified period of time The redemption price will be equal to the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

If certain corporate events that constitute a “fundamental change” occur, then, subject to a limited exception, noteholders may require Freshpet to repurchase their notes for cash. The repurchase price will be equal to the principal amount of the notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the applicable repurchase date.

The interest rate, initial conversion rate and other terms of the notes will be determined at the pricing of the offering.

Freshpet intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to fund the cost of entering into the capped call transactions described below. Freshpet intends to use the remainder of the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional notes, then Freshpet intends to use a portion of the additional net proceeds to fund the cost of entering into additional capped call transactions as described below.

In connection with the pricing of the notes, Freshpet expects to enter into privately negotiated capped call transactions with one or more financial institutions (the “option counterparties”). The capped call transactions are expected to cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of Freshpet’s common stock that will initially underlie the notes. The capped call transactions are expected generally to reduce the potential dilution to Freshpet’s common stock upon any conversion of the notes and/or at Freshpet’s election (subject to certain conditions) offset any potential cash payments Freshpet

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is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted notes, as the case may be, upon conversion of the notes, with such reduction or offset subject to a cap.

In connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates expect to enter into various derivative transactions with respect to Freshpet’s common stock and/or purchase shares of Freshpet’s common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of Freshpet’s common stock or the notes at that time. In addition, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to Freshpet’s common stock and/or purchasing or selling Freshpet’s common stock or other securities in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the notes and prior to the maturity of the notes (and are likely to do so on each exercise date of the capped call transactions, which are expected to occur during the 40 trading day period beginning on the 41st scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date of the notes, or following Freshpet’s election to terminate any portion of the capped call transactions in connection with any repurchase, redemption or early conversion of the notes). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or decrease in the market price of Freshpet’s common stock or the notes, which could affect the ability to convert the notes, and, to the extent the activity occurs during any observation period related to a conversion of notes, it could affect the number of shares and value of the consideration that noteholders will receive upon conversion of the notes.

The offer and sale of the notes and any shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or any other securities laws, and the notes and any such shares cannot be offered or sold except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any other applicable securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, the notes or any shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes, nor will there be any sale of the notes or any such shares, in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful.

About Freshpet

Freshpet’s mission is to improve the lives of dogs and cats through the power of fresh, real food. Freshpet foods are blends of fresh meats, vegetables and fruits farmed locally and made at our Freshpet Kitchens. We thoughtfully prepare our foods using natural ingredients, cooking them in small batches at lower temperatures to preserve the natural goodness of the ingredients. Freshpet foods and treats are kept refrigerated from the moment they are made until they arrive at Freshpet Fridges in your local market.  Our foods are available in select mass, grocery (including online), natural food, club, and pet specialty retailers across the United States, Canada and Europe. From the care we take to source our ingredients and make our food, to the moment it reaches your home, our integrity, transparency and social responsibility are the way we like to run our business.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the anticipated terms of the notes being offered, the completion, timing and size of the proposed offering, the intended use of the proceeds and the anticipated terms of, and the effects of entering into, the capped call transactions described above. Forward-looking statements represent Freshpet’s current expectations

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regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions, including market interest rates, the trading price and volatility of Freshpet’s common stock and risks relating to Freshpet’s business, including those described in periodic reports that Freshpet files from time to time with the SEC. Freshpet may not consummate the proposed offering described in this press release and, if the proposed offering is consummated, cannot provide any assurances regarding the final terms of the offering or the notes or its ability to effectively apply the net proceeds as described above. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and Freshpet does not undertake to update the statements included in this press release for subsequent developments, except as may be required by law.

Investor Contact:
ICR
Jeff Sonnek
646-277-1263
Jeff.sonnek@icrinc.com

Media Contact:
Freshpet@edelmansmithfield.com









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