FirstMate Pet Foods
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersNorth Vancouver, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
FirstMate Pet Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FirstMate Pet Foods
- Legal name
- Taplow Ventures Ltd.
- Website
- https://firstmate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FirstMate Pet Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Food Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Natural/Organic & Limited-Ingredient Diets (CRADAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dry Kibble (Dog & Cat) (CRADAFAA), Fresh & Refrigerated Pet Food (CRADAFAC)
Keywords
Where FirstMate Pet Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FirstMate Pet Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Pet Food Product Sales: Direct product sales of dry and canned pet food formulas for dogs and cats through e-commerce and retail distribution channels. Revenue generated from sale of FirstMate, KASIKS, and SKOKI branded products.
- E-commerce Direct Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through firstmate.com website, processing orders for home delivery across North America.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Canned cat food products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dry dog food products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SKOKI budget line products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Treat products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
FirstMate Pet Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FirstMate Pet Foods manufactures and sells limited ingredient pet food for dogs and cats, including dry kibble, canned wet food, and treats under the FirstMate, KASIKS, and SKOKI brands. Products are formulated with single animal protein sources and avoid common allergens such as corn, wheat, soy, peas, and potatoes. The company controls both ingredient sourcing and manufacturing at its own facilities in British Columbia, Canada, and sells through pet specialty retailers across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia as well as via direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
Product overview
FirstMate Pet Foods is a family-owned Canadian pet food manufacturer (founded in 1989, British Columbia) operating under a unified manufacturing platform with multiple product lines and sub-brands. The core FirstMate brand offers limited ingredient diets in Grain Free and Grain Friendly varieties, while the KASIKS sub-brand provides premium grain-free, potato-free formulas, and SKOKI offers budget-friendly corn/wheat-free options. All products are manufactured at the company's own facilities to ensure quality control, with distribution across Canada, the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KASIKS: Single meat protein, grain, gluten & potato free formulas for dogs and cats.
- SKOKI
Products and services
- FirstMate Brand Pet Food (Dog & Cat) Core FirstMate brand offering dry kibble, canned wet food, and treats formulated with single meat proteins, free of corn, wheat, soy, peas, and potatoes. Targeted at pet owners seeking simplified, limited ingredient diets for sensitive-stomach dogs and cats.
- KASIKS Pet Foods Sub-brand featuring single meat protein, grain-free, gluten-free, and potato-free formulas for dogs and cats with proteins including chicken, lamb, fish, turkey, and duck. Premium positioning within the FirstMate manufacturing portfolio.
- SKOKI Dog Food Budget-friendly corn and wheat free dog food formulas manufactured by FirstMate, using regionally sourced Pacific Northwest ingredients. Available in dry kibble and canned formats, designed for multi-pet households, breeders, and value-conscious pet owners.
- FirstMate Grain Free Formulas (Dog & Cat) Limited ingredient grain-free diets ideal for everyday feeding or pets with food sensitivities, featuring proteins including chicken, lamb, fish, duck, pork, and beef without added grains.
- FirstMate Grain Friendly Formulas (Dog & Cat) Trademarked Grain Friendly line of pet food using quality digestible grains (oats, rice) without corn, wheat, soy, potato, or peas, supplemented with blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries for antioxidants.
- FirstMate Canned Pet Food (Dog & Cat) High-meat, low-carb canned diets free of gums and thickeners, produced in human-grade facilities for both dogs and cats in various protein formulas.
- FirstMate Pet Treats (Dog & Cat) Limited ingredient treats including Mini Trainers (low calorie, approximately 1 kcal/treat for training) and regular treats made with single animal proteins, free of grains, glycerine, and peas.
Quantifiable outcome
- Products meet AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for Adult Maintenance, All Life Stages, and Growth
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use FirstMate Pet Foods
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FirstMate Pet Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
FirstMate Pet Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Pet Food ExpertscorePartnership for expanded US distribution of FirstMate Pet Foods products, established in December 2024 to increase retail presence in the United States market.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FirstMate Pet Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nasta Pet Food: French family-owned ultra-premium pet nutrition group that acquired FirstMate in February 2026. Directly comparable as a premium, family-owned European pet food manufacturer serving the same limited-ingredient / ultra-premium niche.
- Champion Petfoods (Orijen & Acana): Canadian premium pet food manufacturer behind Orijen and Acana. Closely comparable to FirstMate as a Canadian-headquartered premium pet food brand emphasizing fresh regional ingredients, limited-ingredient formulations, and specialty retail distribution.
- Fromm Family Foods: Family-owned US premium pet food manufacturer producing dry kibble, canned, and treats. Comparable to FirstMate as a multi-generational, family-operated premium manufacturer with controlled production and specialty retail channel focus.
- Wellness Pet Company: Premium natural pet food brand offering dry, canned, and treat lines emphasizing natural ingredients and limited recipes. Directly comparable to FirstMate on positioning around natural ingredients and premium specialty retail distribution.
- Natural Balance: Premium pet food brand historically defined by its limited-ingredient diet (L.I.D.) platform. Closely comparable to FirstMate on the limited-ingredient positioning and target segment of pets with food sensitivities.
- Canidae: Premium natural pet food brand offering limited-ingredient and grain-free formulas. Comparable to FirstMate as a specialty-channel premium brand competing in the same limited-ingredient and sensitive-stomach use cases.
- Stella & Chewy's: Premium raw and natural pet food brand. Comparable to FirstMate on the premium, clean-label positioning and the use of single-protein, limited-ingredient formulations targeted at health-conscious pet owners.
- Open Farm: Premium, ethically-sourced pet food brand with strong DTC and specialty retail presence. Comparable to FirstMate as a premium, transparency-driven brand targeting the same health-conscious pet owner segment.
Broad incumbents
- Blue Buffalo (General Mills): Mass-market premium pet food brand owned by General Mills. Overlaps with FirstMate in the natural / limited-ingredient niche but competes across a much broader product portfolio and at substantially greater marketing scale.
- Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive): Science-led pet food brand owned by Colgate-Palmolive with strong veterinary channel presence. Comparable to FirstMate on AAFCO-compliant, vet-formulated positioning but operates at vastly greater scale and global distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FirstMate Pet Foods social profiles
Digital presenceFirstMate Pet Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FirstMate Pet Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
FirstMate Pet Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FirstMate Pet Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FirstMate Pet Foods
What does FirstMate Pet Foods do?
FirstMate Pet Foods manufactures and sells limited ingredient pet food for dogs and cats, including dry kibble, canned wet food, and treats under the FirstMate, KASIKS, and SKOKI brands. Products are formulated with single animal protein sources and avoid common allergens such as corn, wheat, soy, peas, and potatoes. The company controls both ingredient sourcing and manufacturing at its own facilities in British Columbia, Canada, and sells through pet specialty retailers across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia as well as via direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
Is FirstMate Pet Foods a public or private company?
FirstMate Pet Foods is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was FirstMate Pet Foods founded?
FirstMate Pet Foods was founded in 1989. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is FirstMate Pet Foods based?
FirstMate Pet Foods is headquartered in North Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does FirstMate Pet Foods make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Pet Food Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce Direct Sales.
Who are FirstMate Pet Foods's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nasta Pet Food, Champion Petfoods (Orijen & Acana), Fromm Family Foods, Wellness Pet Company, Natural Balance, Canidae, Stella & Chewy's and Open Farm. Broad incumbents are Blue Buffalo (General Mills) and Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive).
Does FirstMate Pet Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for FirstMate Pet Foods.
What industry is FirstMate Pet Foods in?
FirstMate Pet Foods's product category is Pet Food Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAFAH, Natural/Organic & Limited-Ingredient Diets, with a secondary code of CRADAFAA, Dry Kibble (Dog & Cat). Its NAICS code is 311111 and its SIC code is 2090.