Blue Buffalo is a renowned brand of dog food offering a wide range of recipes tailored to enhance canine health. They offer a variety of choices in recipes, treats, and supplements. Additionally, they have an extensive cat food line for feline companions.
If you are concerned about the sourcing of ingredients by your pet food company, it’s important to understand where they come from. Blue Buffalo proudly manufactures its products in the USA. Let’s delve deeper into this pet food brand.
Blue Buffalo: About the Company
The inception of Blue Buffalo followed the typical path of most dog food companies – starting from a place of passion. At the time of its founding, commercial dog food was lacking in quality, often filled with preservatives and artificial additives.
The founders, the Bishop family, were inspired by their Airedale Terrier named Blue. Blue led the charge in shifting pets toward healthier food choices by avoiding harmful fillers and artificial ingredients. This initiative paved the way for better canine nutrition, allowing dogs to live longer and healthier lives.
Since its establishment, the company has grown significantly, sharing its recipes globally. While Blue Buffalo offers both wet food and dry kibble options, they do not currently provide fresh or raw options. Despite this, they are known for their innovation and commitment to keeping up with modern pet food trends.
Recently, Blue Buffalo has indicated an interest in expanding their wet food offerings to meet market demands, showing their commitment to evolving with the needs of pet owners.
Rise in Availability
Blue Buffalo has expanded its availability in recent years, making its products more accessible in pet stores and department stores across multiple countries. This move aims to provide convenience and easy access to their recipes for pet parents of all kinds.
You may now find Blue Buffalo products in stores like Walmart, showcasing the brand’s efforts to reach a wider audience and cater to the needs of all pet parents.
Blue Buffalo Facilities
In April 2018, General Mills acquired Blue Buffalo. While the company’s headquarters remain in Wilton, Connecticut, they have multiple facilities located across the United States. Their primary manufacturing plant is in Richmond, Indiana, with an additional facility established in Joplin, Missouri in 2018 for expansion purposes.
Although Blue Buffalo states that all their recipes are made in the USA, they source ingredients globally. This means they collaborate with various farmers and suppliers outside the US to acquire the necessary ingredients for their dog food. Blue Buffalo has a reputation for responsibly handling complaints and recalls related to their ingredients.
The General Mills Concern
Following General Mills’ acquisition of Blue Buffalo, consumers expressed concerns about potential changes in the company’s practices. Questions arose about outsourcing labor, altering recipes, or sourcing ingredients from questionable facilities to reduce costs.
According to Blue Buffalo’s website, there have been limited changes post the General Mills takeover; however, consumers remain vigilant and observant of any alterations.
Globally Sourced, Locally Manufactured
Blue Buffalo has faced scrutiny in the past for issues like using chicken byproducts in 2014, which they attributed to a mislabeling error by their supplier, Wilbur-Ellis, based in Texas. The matter has since been resolved.
Aside from Blue Buffalo, several other dog food manufacturers in the US include ANI-Vita Line, CJ Foods, Triple T Foods, Tuffy’s, and Ainsworth. While Blue Buffalo sources ingredients globally, they have not disclosed specific countries or facilities on their main website.
- See Also: 11 Best Dog Foods Made in the USA
Conclusion
Despite General Mills’ acquisition of Blue Buffalo, the company’s core principles remain intact. While the products are manufactured in the USA, many ingredients are sourced globally. It is advisable to stay informed as a consumer and monitor any potential changes in the brand’s sourcing and manufacturing practices.
We hope that Blue Buffalo will uphold its reputation for quality and continue to strive for excellence in pet nutrition.
Sources
- https://allamericanreviews.com/blue-buffalo/
- https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/13850-blue-buffalo
- https://knownpets.com/where-is-blue-buffalo-dog-food-made/
- https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/5166-blue-buffalo-admits-to-byproduct-meal-purina-responds
Featured Image Credit: bluebuffalo.com