General Mills to acquire Whitebridge Pet Brands

General Mills announced the acquisition of the North American premium cat food and pet care business of Whitebridge Pet Brands from NXMH in a transaction valued at 1.45 bn dollars.

The company, which also owns the Tiki Pets and Cloud Star brands, is recognised as a growth leader in the cat food and pet treat segments, which together account for 24 bn dollars in retail sales within the 52 bn dollars US pet food category. With this transaction, General Mills continues to advance its “Accelerate” strategy, which focuses on its core markets, global platforms and local gem brands to deliver sustainable, profitable growth and superior long-term shareholder returns.

“The acquisition of the Tiki Pets and Cloud Star portfolios strengthens our commitment to the pet sector,” said Jon Nudi, Group President North America Pet, International and North America Foodservice, at General Mills. “These brands complement our Blue Buffalo portfolio and will help us continue to grow in cat food and treats.”

The transaction is the fifth acquisition General Mills has announced or completed in the pet category, following Blue Buffalo (2018), Nudges, Top Chews and True Chews (2021), Fera Pets (2023) and Edgard & Cooper (2024).

The North American Whitebridge Pet Brands business generated approximately 325 mio dollars in retail sales in the last twelve months, as measured by Nielsen. As part of the transaction, General Mills will acquire the operations of two manufacturing facilities in Joplin, Missouri. NXMH will retain the European business and the Whitebridge Pet Brands brands. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.