General Mills is taking Blue Buffalo into the fresh pet food category with the national launch of Love Made Fresh, in multiple formats and a variety of recipes. Although revealed today (June 23), the line will arrive in stores nationwide later this year.
Also on the pet food front, General Mills is bringing products from its April 2024 acquisition of Edgard & Cooper, a European premium pet food brand, to the U.S. this July through an exclusive retail partnership with PetSmart.
General Mills bought Blue Buffalo from its founders in 2018 for a whopping $8 billion, marking Big G’s first foray into the pet food segment. In General Mills' fiscal 2024, pet food totaled $2.4 billion in revenue, a 4% drop from the previous year (FY 2025 financials should be out this week). General Mills today called the fresh pet food sub-category “dynamic” and totaling $3 billion.
Edgard & Cooper’s range spans dry food, wet food and treats, all for dogs, made with real, recognizable ingredients such as fresh chicken, venison and duck, combined with nutritious fruits and vegetables. The national PetSmart launch will leverage Edgard & Cooper’s digital-first, social-led marketing approach — a driver of its rapid growth in Europe — and further PetSmart’s position in the super-premium segment.
