General Mills to close Blue Buffalo plant in Iowa
The decision comes after the multinational recently announced an investment of $200 million in another facility in Virginia.
General Mills confirmed to GlobalPETS that it plans to close Blue Buffalo’s manufacturing facility in Iowa by the end of 2023.
The plant currently produces select products for its Top Chews and Nudges dog treat brands.
“These changes are in direct support of our pet supply chain strategy, which supports the long-term growth of our business,” said a spokesperson. The closure will impact 250 employees.
According to the company, this announcement will not impact the other two Blue Buffalo manufacturing facilities.
The multinational acquired the pet treat business from Tyson Foods for $1.2 billion (€1.1B) in 2021. A few months ago, General Mills confirmed it was looking to expand Blue Buffalo’s product portfolio in China.
During the release of the latest quarterly earnings in March, where the profit of its pet portfolio registered a dip of 7%, the company announced an investment of $200 million (€185.9M) to expand its existing plant in Richmond (Indiana) in a bid to boost processing operations and warehouse capacity.