General Mills Boosts Pet Food Portfolio with Blue Buffalo Fresh Launch and Edgard & Cooper Entry

General Mills is expanding its North America Pet segment with two new launches: Blue Buffalo's "Love Made Fresh" fresh pet food line and the US launch of Edgard & Cooper, a European premium pet food brand acquired in April 2024. Blue Buffalo's fresh pet food line offers multiple formats and flavors, while Edgard & Cooper's US launch will feature a range of dry food, wet food, and treats made with real ingredients. The launches aim to meet evolving pet parent preferences and accelerate General Mills' growth in the pet feeding category.

Minneapolis, MN — General Mills (GIS), a leading consumer staples company, is expanding its North America Pet segment with two significant initiatives: the launch of Blue Buffalo's "Love Made Fresh" fresh pet food line and the U.S. introduction of Edgard & Cooper, a European premium pet food brand acquired in April 2024. These moves aim to meet evolving pet parent preferences and accelerate General Mills' growth in the pet feeding category.

Blue Buffalo, known for its natural pet food offerings, is entering the fresh pet food market with "Love Made Fresh." This new line features multiple formats and a variety of flavorful recipes, designed to be a standalone fresh solution or a perfect companion to Blue Buffalo's dry dog food portfolio. The nationwide rollout is expected later this year, positioning Blue Buffalo as a brand offering solutions across dry, wet, and fresh pet food categories [1].

General Mills is also introducing Edgard & Cooper to the U.S. market through an exclusive partnership with PetSmart. The U.S. launch will feature a range of dry food, wet food, and treats made with real, recognizable ingredients such as fresh chicken, venison, and duck combined with nutritious fruits and vegetables. This range is designed to support dogs of all breeds and life stages, reflecting the brand's digital-first, social-led marketing approach that has driven its rapid growth in Europe [1].

These expansions align with General Mills' "Accelerate strategy," combining brand leadership with relentless innovation and consumer-centric insights to drive long-term growth. The company's fiscal 2024 net sales were $20 billion, with an additional $1 billion from non-consolidated joint venture net sales. The fresh pet food market is expected to grow significantly, with retail sales projected to rise from just over $3 billion to $10 billion over the next decade [3].

General Mills' focus on the pet food category is evident in its recent appointment of Dana McNabb as Group President, expanding her role to include the North America Pet segment. This strategic shift underscores the company's commitment to growth in the pet food market and its adaptation to evolving market dynamics [2].

References:
[1] https://www.generalmills.com/news/press-releases/general-mills-accelerates-growth-with-blue-buffalo-expansion-into-fresh-and-edgard-cooper-us-launch
[2] https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/general-mills-expands-pet-food-portfolio-with-fresh-offerings-93CH-4105686
[3] https://www.indexbox.io/blog/general-mills-ventures-into-fresh-pet-food-market-with-new-blue-buffalo-line/