"Internet, meet Eleanor. She's watching the rain. Expect a lot of photos of black dog silhouettes from now on!"

General Mills to Close Pet Treats Plant in Independence, Iowa

May 8, 2023

Blue Buffalo facility, acquired in July 2021, will shut down by the end of the year.

According to local news reports, General Mills will shutter its Independence, Iowa, pet treats processing plant by the end of 2023.

The plant was acquired from Tyson Foods as part of the $1.2 million purchase of the Nudges and Top Chews brands in July 2021. The plant and brands were subsequently rolled into the Blue Buffalo brand, which General Mills first acquired in 2018.

Reports were unclear as to how many workers were on the payroll at the plant, but reports explained that it could employ up to 250 people. One local station said the plant had been pushing to hire 30 workers in October of last year.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.