Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 47 December 2024

NEWS 8 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2024 USA-based General Mills, Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Whitebridge Pet Brands’ North American premium cat feeding and pet treating business from NXMH in a transaction valued at $1.45 billion. The business, which includes the Tiki Pets and Cloud Star portfolio of brands, is one of the growth leaders in the cat feeding and pet treating segments, which collectively make up $24 billion in retail sales within the broader $52 billion U.S. pet food category. With this transaction, General Mills explains it further advances its Accelerate strategy, with a focus on its core markets, global platforms and local gem brands to drive sustainable, profitable growth and top-tier shareholder returns over the long term. “Acquiring the Tiki Pets and Cloud Star portfolio strengthens our commitment in the Pet space,” said Jon Nudi, group president, North America Pet, International, and North America Foodservice, General Mills. “These brands complement our Blue Buffalo portfolio and will help us incrementally grow in Cat feeding and Treats. We’re excited to welcome the North American Whitebridge team to General Mills and to provide pet parents with an expanding portfolio of brands to feed and treat their pets like family.” The transaction marks the fifth acquisition General Mills has announced or completed in the pet category: Blue Buffalo (2018), Nudges, Top Chews, and True Chews (2021), Fera Pets (2023), Edgard & Cooper (2024) and Whitebridge Pet Brands - North America (anticipated Q3 F25). Read more>> General Mills acquires fifth company in pet category Oberland Agriscience Inc., a Canada based company leveraging biology-fueled technology to set new standards in animal and soil health, opened its 108,000sqft commercial black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) farm on the periphery of Halifax. Founded in 2017 by Dr. Greg Wanger, Oberland explains it is committed to utilizing modern innovations, such as AI, robotics, and predictive analytics, to elevate the power of black soldier fly larvae, delivering premium, nutritious, science-backed solutions for animal, agriculture, and soil health. "Black soldier fly larvae are a tremendous insect, capable of transforming almost any organic matter into a valuable protein with almost unrivaled efficiency," comments Dr. Greg Wanger. "The food waste challenge isn't going away and the demand for high quality protein continues to escalate. We harness biology and cutting-edge technology to drive nutritional innovation, delivering natural, nutrient-dense solutions." With a Ph.D. in Geology and Environmental Microbiology, plus five years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab working on their optical organics mapper, SHERLOC, Dr. Wanger has experience sweating the small stuff crucial for getting from the lab bench, through pilot scale into commercial scale. Supported by a team committed to producing a low impact animal and soil nutrition solution, Oberland points out it has spent several years honing its innovative process from pilot to commercial scale. Read more>> Canadian start-up opens first commercial scale BSFL facility

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