Nasta Pet Food Announces the Acquisition of FirstMate Pet Foods and Accelerates Its Development in North America

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 18, 2026--

Nasta Pet Food, the French-based, family-owned international group specializing in ultra-premium pet nutrition, announces the acquisition of FirstMate Pet Foods, an independent premium pet food manufacturer based in British Columbia, Canada.

With this transaction, and the integration of FirstMate and its parent company Taplow Ventures Ltd, now 100% owned by Nasta Pet Food, the Group significantly strengthens its commercial and manufacturing platform in North America.

As of February 2026, the combined entity will represent more than 250 employees and consolidated industrial capacities of 54,000 tons of dry pet food and 4,000 tons of wet pet food per year. The Group will be serving more than 400,000 pet families annually and expects to generate approximately EUR 200 million in consolidated revenue in 2026.

As part of this acquisition, Nasta Pet Food has refinanced its activities through a senior unitranche facility of EUR 120 million provided by H.I.G. WhiteHorse. This refinancing will support and accelerate the development strategy of the combined Group.

This operation represents a new key milestone in Nasta Pet Food’s international expansion strategy. It significantly strengthens the Group’s presence in North America, the world’s largest pet nutrition market and enriches its portfolio with FirstMate, a premium brand firmly established in the pet specialty retail channel and recognized for the quality of its products, the consistency of its product architecture, and its fully integrated industrial model.

Since its inception in 2016, Nasta Pet Food has experienced sustained double-digit growth, driven by the development of strong brands (Forza10, Natural Code, Bab'in) cumulating over 100 years of history, the excellence of its manufacturing platform, and a structured, long-term strategy. With 135 employees, the Group operates integrated production facilities in France (Saint-Amans-Valtoret, Tarn) and Italy (Bagnoli di Sopra, Veneto), representing capacities of 34,000 metric tons of dry food and 2,000 tons of wet food per year.

The Group's momentum is also reflected in international growth exceeding +20% per year, with a steadily increasing share of revenue generated outside Europe and a clear ambition to further accelerate development in North America.

Founded in 1989 by Michael Florian and inspired by the authentic marine universe of Canada’s West Coast, FirstMate Pet Foods was built on the conviction that quality nutrition starts with full control over production. The brand has established itself as a reference player through its pioneering single-protein Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) approach, offered across complete dry and wet food ranges, including Grain Free and Grain Friendly TM recipes.

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CONTACT: Press contacts:

Nathalie Belilty

[email protected]

954-326-2562

KEYWORD: EUROPE NORTH AMERICA CANADA FRANCE

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FOOD/BEVERAGE CONSUMER RETAIL PETS SUPERMARKET

SOURCE: Nasta Pet Food

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PUB: 02/18/2026 02:45 PM/DISC: 02/18/2026 02:45 PM

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260217004348/en