Two pet food plants in Joplin will be among the three facilities shuttered by General Mills in Missouri, according to a corporate filing posted on Wednesday. The pet food facilities were acquired from Whitebridge Pet Brands in 2024. General Mills officials stated that the closures are part of a multi-year initiative to improve supply chain efficiency.
“We expect to incur approximately $82 million of restructuring charges, of which approximately $17 million will be cash,” General Mills executives wrote in the filings. “These charges are expected to consist of approximately $64 million of asset write-offs and $18 million of other costs, including severance. We expect to recognize $43 million of asset write-offs and $6 million of other costs, including severance, in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. We expect these actions to be completed by the end of fiscal 2029.”
History of General Mills and Whitebridge Pet Brands
In November 2024, General Mills acquired Whitebridge Pet Brands' North American premium cat food and pet treat business from NXMH for US$1.45 billion.
The acquisition included brands like Tiki Pets and Cloud Star. General Mills said it aims to expand its footprint in the pet sector, integrating Whitebridge’s offerings with its Blue Buffalo portfolio to strengthen its position in cat nutrition and pet treats.
"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."
The transaction marked General Mills' fifth acquisition in the pet category, following previous acquisitions of Blue Buffalo (2018), Nudges, Top Chews and True Chews (2021), Fera Pets (2023) and Edgard & Cooper (2024).
