GÖRG advised the shareholders of Tierliebhaber, a provider of dietary supplements and functional snacks for pets operating under the name Animagus GmbH, on all legal aspects of the acquisition by AlphaPet Ventures. As part of the transaction, Tierliebhaber will be integrated into AlphaPet’s existing platform, thereby expanding its brand portfolio.
Tierliebhaber was founded in Berlin in 2016 by Philipp Smakman and Josefine Schmidt. Katharina Smakman was involved in building the brand from the very beginning and took over the role as CEO in 2021. Together, they developed Tierliebhaber with a clear focus on natural, high-quality products for preventive animal health.
AlphaPet Ventures is driving the digitalisation of the pet food market and develops and distributes premium brands across Europe. The company’s multichannel strategy combines a digital direct-to-consumer (D2C) business with a customer-centric approach via its own platforms as well as partnerships with leading retail partners in the B2B segment. The acquisition of Tierliebhaber is part of AlphaPet’s buy-and-build strategy.
As part of the acquisition, the Tierliebhaber team will continue to operate. Going forward, siblings Katharina and Philipp Smakman will jointly take over management.
The transaction was financed through a combination of equity and debt. Patria Investments acted as lead investor in the financing round, complemented by a contribution from Venture Stars and support from existing AlphaPet shareholders. The debt financing was provided by CVC.
A cross-office GÖRG team led by Munich-based partner Dr Philipp Grzimek, advised on the legal aspects of the transaction. Tierliebhaber was also supported by ox8 Corporate Finance as lead advisor.
Advisors Tierliebhaber (Animagus GmbH)
GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB
Dr Philipp Grzimek, LL.M. (Lead, Partner, Corporate/M&A, Munich)
Arne Engels (Counsel, Banking and Capital Markets Law, Cologne)
Nora Dibbert (BWLS, Associated Partner, Tax, Hamburg)
Dr Julian Stassek (Associated Partner, Labour and Employment Law, Munich)
Jonas Böttger (Associate, Corporate/M&A, Munich)
Madeleine Schwall (Associate, Corporate/M&A, Munich)
