General Mills to scoop up premium pet food and treats businesses for $1.45 billion

The American manufacturing giant has announced plans to acquire Whitebridge Pet Brands’ North American premium cat feeding and pet treating business for $1.45 billion (€1.37B).

General Mills will take over Tiki Pets and Cloud Star’s portfolio of brands – known for high-quality treats and dry and wet food – from pan-European investment firm NXMH.

The company will also assume operations of 2 manufacturing facilities in Joplin, Missouri. However, NXMH will continue to retain Whitebridge’s European business and develop its flagship pet food brand, Schesir, as a stand-alone entity.

The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2025, pending regulatory approval.

Accelerating growth strategy

The acquisition aligns with the manufacturer’s “accelerate strategy,” which is focused on expanding its core markets by leveraging strong global platforms.

It is worth noting that Tiki Pets and Cloud Star collectively generate $24 billion (€22.7B) in retail sales within the $52 billion (€49.2B) US pet food category. In the past year, Whitebridge Pet Brands’ business in North America generated approximately $325 million (€307.6M).

Jon Nudi, General Mills’ Group President of North America Pet, International and North America Foodservice, notes that the acquisition strengthens the manufacturer’s “commitment in the pet space.”

“These brands complement our Blue Buffalo portfolio and will help us incrementally grow in cat feeding and treats,” he added.

Previous M&A activity

This is General Mills’ fifth acquisition in the pet category. The multinational acquired Belgium-based Edgard & Cooper earlier this year for $436 million (€412.7M).

Last year, it bought Californian Fera Pets, marking its entry into the pet supplement space.