AlphaPet Ventures acquires Tierliebhaber, the leading brand for pet supplements and functional snacks in Germany

Munich, April 1, 2026:

AlphaPet Ventures, Europe’s leading digital brand platform for premium pet food, has acquired Tierliebhaber. The acquisition marks AlphaPet’s sixth acquisition since 2020 – and the second in Q1 2026 – continuing its successful buy-and-build strategy.

AlphaPet Ventures (AlphaPet) is digitizing the pet food market, successfully developing and distributing premium brands across Europe. The portfolio includes established brands such as Wolfsblut, Wildes Land, Arden Grange, Herrmann’s Manufaktur, JR Pet Products and Cpro Food. AlphaPet’s multi-channel strategy combines a strong digital direct-to-consumer (D2C) business with a customer-centric approach through proprietary platforms and partnerships with leading retail partners in the B2B segment.

Tierliebhaber was founded in 2016 by Philipp Smakman and Josefine Schmidt in Berlin (Germany). Katharina Smakman was instrumental in building Tierliebhaber from the very beginning and in 2021, stepped up as Managing Director. Together with her brother Philipp, she developed the brand into Germany's leading name for pet supplements and functional snacks. The portfolio includes natural products for digestion, tick protection, dental care, joint health, and calming support. This focus on natural, high-quality products for preventive pet health has secured Tierliebhaber a dominant position in the German pet supplements market.

Marco Hierling, Founder and CEO of AlphaPet: "Tierliebhaber is a highly complementary addition to our existing portfolio and significantly strengthens our footprint in the fast-growing health and wellness segment. With Wolfsblut VetLine, we have already built a strong position in veterinary food – Tierliebhaber now adds a leading brand in preventive care, offering natural products that support pets’ health every day.”

“Tierliebhaber is a perfect example of the type of company we look for: a category leader with exceptional growth dynamics and a strong management team. The addition of a dedicated pet supplement brand to AlphaPet's platform creates significant strategic value and marks an important next step in expanding AlphaPet's platform beyond traditional pet food,” explains Fritjof Franz, Managing Partner at capiton.

Katharina Smakman: "We built Tierliebhaber with the belief that pets deserve the same quality in health products as their owners. AlphaPet shares that vision and brings the platform, the reach and the expertise to take Tierliebhaber together with us to the next level." Philipp Smakman: "From day one, our strength has been combining high-quality products with a truly digital business model. Joining AlphaPet gives us access to new channels, markets and capabilities while preserving what makes Tierliebhaber unique."

The entire Tierliebhaber team remains on board and Katharina and Philipp Smakman will drive future growth as Managing Directors.

The acquisition was financed through a combination of equity and debt. Patria Investments acted as lead investor in the financing round, with a significant contribution from Venture Stars and the support of existing AlphaPet shareholders.

Mark Nicolson, Partner and Head of Primary Investments at Patria, stated: “Supporting AlphaPet's second acquisition this quarter as lead investor once again reflects our conviction in the platform's strategy and management team. Tierliebhaber's strong D2C capabilities and leading position in functional pet health make this a compelling addition to an already impressive portfolio.”

Debt financing was provided by CVC, underscoring the continued support of AlphaPet’s buy-and-build strategy.

AlphaPet was advised by LutzAbel (Legal), Deloitte (Financial and Tax), A&O Shearman (Financing Legal) and Sonntag & Partner (Tax & Structure). Tierliebhaber was advised by ox8 Corporate Finance (Lead Advisor) and GÖRG (Legal).

About AlphaPet Ventures

AlphaPet Ventures is Europe’s leading technology-driven brand platform for premium pet food. By combining multi-channel distribution, digital brand building and end-to-end technology solutions, AlphaPet is transforming the pet food market.

Organic growth and a successful buy-and-build strategy have built a fast-growing portfolio of leading European premium brands. Guided by the vision “Healthy food for every pet”, AlphaPet’s subsidiaries and brands drive the premiumization and digitalization of the pet food market.

About Tierliebhaber

Tierliebhaber was founded in 2016 by Philipp Smakman and Josefine Schmidt in Berlin (Germany). The company has established itself as Germany’s leading brand for pet supplements and functional snacks, serving its customers through its own online shop, Amazon and B2B partners.

About capiton

capiton is an independent, owner-managed private equity firm with funds under management exceeding EUR 1.6 billion. The current portfolio comprises 14 mid-market companies, supporting management buyouts and growth financing for established businesses.

About Patria Investments

Patria is a leading alternative investment firm with over 37 years of experience, specializing in resilient key sectors across three core regions: Europe, North America and Latin America. With assets under management exceeding USD 50 billion and a global presence, Patria Investments strives to deliver consistent returns in attractive, long-term investment opportunities while creating sustainable value for society.

About Reimann Investors

Reimann Investors is a family office and corporate group representing members of the Reimann entrepreneurial family. The company focuses on highly liquid capital market investments and direct investments in high-growth digital companies in the areas of SaaS and FinTech.

About Venture Stars

Venture Stars is a Munich-based venture capital fund with a focus on early-stage investments in innovative, digital B2C and B2B business models. The Venture Stars partners are serial startup entrepreneurs themselves and work closely with the founders of the portfolio companies. Venture Stars co-founded ePetWorld, which later became AlphaPet through the merger with pets Premium. Collaboration with Venture Stars goes beyond providing capital and includes know-how, network access, and hands-on operational support on topics such as strategy, organizational development, financing, and exit planning.

Press Contact
Moriz Jürgens
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moriz.juergens@alpha.pet
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