General Mills announced Monday that it would roll out a new line of fresh pet food under its Blue Buffalo brand, as well as introduce a newly acquired company to the U.S. market.
The Blue Buffalo “Love Made Fresh” portfolio would feature a range of formats and recipes and work either as a standalone food or a complement to dry dog food. General Mills officials noted that the fresh pet food segment is a $3 billion market, and that the launch would make Blue Buffalo the largest U.S. pet food brand to offer dry, wet and fresh food.
In addition, the company announced a partnership with pet care retailer PetSmart to bring Edgard & Cooper, the European pet food brand acquired early last year, to the U.S. That launch will span dry and wet food, as well as pet treats.
“These moves position us to lead in both scale and innovation across the pet food aisle, with offerings that appeal to the fastest growing demographic in the category: young pet parents,” Liz Mascolo, the president of General Mills’ North America Pet segment, said in a statement.
General Mills acquired Blue Buffalo — and launched its pet division — in 2018 for roughly $8 billion. The company also owns the Cheerios, Green Giant and Yoplait brands, among others.
