At the 2026 edition of the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference on Feb. 18, J.M. Smucker Co. CEO Mark Smucker detailed the company’s strategy to accelerate growth in its pet segment. He focused on brand renovation across its Milk-Bone and Meow Mix portfolios.
“For our Pet segment, we have leading brands in Milk-Bone dog snacks and Meow Mix cat food,” Smucker said in prepared comments. “Both segments remain highly attractive, supported by favorable category tailwinds.”
The company’s pet segment growth is supported by long-term dog and cat population growth worldwide, the continued humanization of pets and sustained expansion in e-commerce, he said. These dynamics align with its portfolio and brand-building capabilities.
Milk-Bone packaging refresh and premium innovation
In dog snacks, Smucker is modernizing packaging across the Milk-Bone brand to better highlight key product attributes. New dog biscuit packaging now on shelf emphasizes protein content and other functional benefits that are increasingly important purchase drivers, according to the company.
A similar approach is being applied to Milk-Bone Brushing Chews, with refreshed graphics designed to elevate communication of dental benefits while maintaining recognizable brand elements. The changes are intended to reinforce category leadership by strengthening differentiation and clarifying the brand’s value proposition.
Premiumization remains a focus. Smucker is expanding its Milk-Bone Peanut Buttery Bites platform, which it described as the number one dog snacks launch over the past four years. The platform is built on a collaboration between Milk-Bone and Jif. The company announced the addition of Milk-Bone Peanut Buttery Cups, made with real Jif peanut butter, with a launch scheduled for March.
E-commerce is playing an increasingly important role in Smucker’s dog treats category. Smucker said the channel now represents one-third of total dog snacks sales. Over the latest 13-week period, the Milk-Bone brand grew 14% in e-commerce, outpacing overall category growth. To support continued gains, the company is optimizing digital content to improve search performance and introducing more e-commerce–friendly value sizes.
Meow Mix driving market share in a fragmented category
In cat food, Smucker emphasized the growth runway for Meow Mix. Despite its scale, the brand holds an 8% dollar share of the category, underscoring what Smucker described as significant expansion potential.
In dry cat food, Meow Mix leads in dollar and volume share as well as household penetration, according to Smucker. In the past year, the company enhanced formulas and refreshed packaging across its core offerings to better communicate taste and health benefits in a contemporary design. These updates are now in market and, according to the company, are contributing to sales growth that continues to outpace the broader category.
Innovation has also supported momentum. Meow Mix Gravy Bursts combines the convenience of dry food with the sensory appeal of wet food, he said. The product was the No. 1 dry innovation launch in the category in 2025, according to Smucker. Building on that performance, the company has expanded the platform with Gravy Bursts Salmon Flavor and Gravy Bursts Flavored Chicken Treats, now available at retail.
Beyond dry, Smucker signaled a longer-term opportunity in wet cat food and cat treats. The company characterized its presence in the approximately US$11 billion wet and treats space as underdeveloped and said it is evaluating ways to leverage Meow Mix brand equity and consumer insights to expand in those segments.
