H.I.G. WhiteHorse Provides Financing to FirstMate Parent Company Nasta Pet Food

H.I.G. WhiteHorse, the credit affiliate of H.I.G. Capital, a leading global alternative investment firm with $74 billion of capital under management, recently announce that it has arranged a €120m financing package for Nasta Petfood.

Nasta is a French-based, family-owned international group specializing in ultra-premium pet nutrition, with a portfolio of established brands and integrated production facilities in France and Italy. The financing supports the acquisition of FirstMate Pet Foods, a premium pet food manufacturer based in British Columbia, Canada, and the continued execution of the Group’s development strategy in North America.

Following this transaction, the combined group will operate an integrated industrial platform across Europe and North America, with consolidated annual production capacity of approximately 45,000 tons of dry pet food and 4,000 tons of wet pet food, serving more than 400,000 pet-owning households globally. The Group targets approximately €200 million in consolidated revenues in 2026.

“Our partnership with H.I.G. WhiteHorse marks the beginning of a new chapter of growth and maturity for Nasta. The support and trust of this world-class institution highlight the credibility of our project, of our teams, and of our brands’ heritage. As we are engaging in this growth path, we are very pleased with the opportunity to partner with the H.I.G. teams to shape the future of our Group,” said Geoffroy Lefebvre, CEO of Nasta.

“We are delighted to support Nasta with a financing solution tailored to its strategic ambitions,” added Pascal Meysson, Head of H.I.G. WhiteHorse Europe. “This transaction highlights H.I.G. WhiteHorse Europe’s ability to deliver flexible, scalable capital to help sponsor-less businesses execute transformative cross-border acquisitions.”

Charles Bourgeois, Managing Director at H.I.G. WhiteHorse Europe, said: “We are pleased to support Nasta in this important new phase of its development. Nasta is an amazing business: it has a strong positioning in the attractive and resilient ultra-premium pet nutrition segment, integrated industrial capabilities, a compelling international growth strategy, a high-caliber management team, and highly experienced shareholders. The acquisition of FirstMate Pet Foods marks a key milestone in the Group’s expansion and significantly strengthens its footprint in the strategic North American market.”

Founded in 2016 in France, Nasta is an international family-owned group specializing in ultra-premium pet nutrition. The group develops a complementary portfolio of high-value brands, driven by entrepreneurial teams, integrated industrial expertise, and high standards of quality, transparency, and nutritional performance. Its portfolio includes Bab’in, Forza10, Natural Code, and FirstMate Pet Foods, representing more than 150 years of combined expertise in animal nutrition. Present in France, Italy, North America, and China, Nasta distributes its products in over 30 markets worldwide and pursues a sustainable growth strategy combining organic development and targeted acquisitions.