(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON — H.I.G. WhiteHorse, the credit affiliate of H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”), a leading global alternative investment firm with $74 billion of capital under management, announced that it has arranged a €120m financing package for Nasta Petfood (“Nasta”, or the “Group”).
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.
Geoffroy Lefebvre, CEO of Nasta, said: “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.”
Pascal Meysson, Head of H.I.G. WhiteHorse Europe, said: “We are delighted to support Nasta with a financing solution tailored to its strategic ambitions. 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.”
About Nasta Pet Food
Founded in 2016 in France, Nasta is an international family-owned group specializing in ultra-premium pet nutrition, combining the benefits of Nature, Science, and Taste. 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. For more information, visit nasta.com.
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About H.I.G. Capital
H.I.G. is a leading global alternative investment firm with $74 billion of capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Stamford in the United States, as well as international affiliate offices in Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Dubai, and Hong Kong, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle market companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach:
H.I.G.’s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations, and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.
H.I.G.’s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche, and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. also manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance.
H.I.G.’s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices.
H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector.
Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. The Firm’s current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $53 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at hig.com.
