Brandtree

Who owns Blue Buffalo?

Blue Buffalo is owned by General Mills (the United States, NYSE: GIS), which acquired the brand on 24 April 2018.[1][2] Blue Buffalo was founded in 2003 in the United States and was independent until 2018.

Key facts

Current owner
General Mills, Inc. verified
Owned since
· deal details
Acquisition price
$8 billion (enterprise value)
Previous owner
Independent (2003–2018)
Owner HQ
🇺🇸 United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Origin
🇺🇸 United States
Founded
2003
Category
Pet carePet foodDog food
Parent ticker
NYSE: GIS
Last verified
· 2 sources

About Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo was founded in 2003 by a family whose dog developed cancer, and it built its business on advertising that compared its ingredient lists directly against mainstream brands. General Mills bought it in 2018 for $8 billion, its entry into pet food and its largest acquisition.

Ownership timeline of Blue Buffalo

Owners of Blue Buffalo from 2018 to 2026 General Mills 2018–present General Mills 2018201920202021202220232024202520262027
  1. 2018 – present General Mills acquired 24 April 2018 [1][2] verified

Where Blue Buffalo sits in General Mills

Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.

Where Blue Buffalo sits in General Mills Tree of 18 brands under General Mills. General Mills Blue Buffalo Annie's Betty Crocker Cheerios Chex Cinnamon Toast Crunch and 12 more

Open the full General Mills ownership tree →

Other brands owned by General Mills

See the full General Mills brand portfolio (18) →

Deals involving Blue Buffalo

Acquisition closed

General Mills acquires Blue Buffalo

General Mills acquired Blue Buffalo for about $8 billion, its largest acquisition. Pet food had been growing while packaged human food stagnated, and Blue Buffalo sold on named whole ingredients rather than meat meals, largely through pet specialty retailers.

Value
$8bn
Seller
Regulatory
None recorded

Latest news about Blue Buffalo

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Frequently asked questions

Who is the parent company of Blue Buffalo?

The parent company of Blue Buffalo is General Mills, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United States.

Is Blue Buffalo American?

Yes. Blue Buffalo originated in the United States in 2003 and its owner, General Mills, is also headquartered in the United States.

When did General Mills buy Blue Buffalo?

General Mills completed its acquisition of Blue Buffalo on 24 April 2018, after announcing the deal on 23 February 2018.

Who owned Blue Buffalo before General Mills?

Blue Buffalo was an independent company from its founding in 2003 until General Mills acquired it in 2018.

Is Blue Buffalo still owned by General Mills?

Yes. As of 8 September 2026, Blue Buffalo is still owned by General Mills. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.

Sources (2) & corrections

Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.

  1. [1] General Mills, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K filed 2026-07-01 — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 10-K, published 1 July 2026; retrieved 8 September 2026.
  2. [2] General Mills, Inc. Form 8-K - completion of the Blue Buffalo acquisition — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 8-K, published 24 April 2018; retrieved 8 September 2026.

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