AlphaPet Ventures acquires JR Pet Products

AlphaPet Ventures, Europe’s digital brand platform for premium pet food, has acquired JR Pet Products, the premium brand of natural chews and treats for dogs in the UK. The acquisition marks another significant milestone in AlphaPet’s successful buy and build strategy and strengthens its footprint in the UK market. AlphaPet Ventures (AlphaPet) is digitising the pet market and building and distributing premium brands across Europe. Its portfolio includes premium brands such as Wolfsblut, Wildes Land, Arden Grange, and Herrmann’s Manufaktur. AlphaPet’s strategy focuses on multi-channel distribution, emphasizing direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales through its own platforms. This is complemented by a highly “customer-centric approach and strong B2B partnerships with retailers”. JR Pet Products (JR) was founded in 2012 by Jonathan and Rebecca Davies with seed investment from Stephen Tandy, a close friend of Jonathan. JR brand is the UK's premium dog treat brand, offering a wide range of high-quality, natural dog chews and treats. The brand distributes its products over its own D2C shop and via B2B partners. The whole team will stay on board and Jonathan and Rebecca Davies will continue as managing directors of JR. The acquisition of JR is AlphaPet’s fourth acquisition since 2020 and the next step to strengthen its position as the “leading European premium pet food and treats platform”. The acquisition was financed through a combination of equity and debt. Patria Investments, an existing capital LP, acted as lead investor, alongside Venture Stars and existing AlphaPet shareholders. Debt financing was provided by CVC, demonstrating their ongoing support of AlphaPet’s buy and build strategy. AlphaPet was advised by Ashfords (Legal UK), LutzAbel (Legal Germany), Deloitte (Financial and Tax), Allen & Overy (Financing Legal) and Sonntag & Partner (Tax Germany). Marco Hierling, founder and CEO of AlphaPet, said: “Jonathan and Rebecca have built a fantastic brand. JR is an excellent addition to AlphaPet’s brand portfolio, aligning with our commitment to healthy and premium pet food, while offering a highly complementary product range.” Jonathan and Rebecca Davies, founders and managing directors of JR, added: “Our partnership with the AlphaPet team marks an exciting new chapter for JR. Together, we look forward to building on the strength of the brand, supported by our trusted suppliers and customers, to achieve our growth goals in the years ahead.”