Who Owns Rachael Ray Dog Food? The Hidden Story
Rachael Ray Dog Food Current Owner: Post Holdings, Inc. (acquired in April 2023)
Previous Owner: J.M. Smucker Co., which had purchased Ainsworth Pet Nutrition—the original parent company of Rachael Ray Nutrish—in 2018.
Licensing: The Rachael Ray trademark remains licensed to Post Holdings, while the Nutrish brand is fully owned and operated by Post Holdings.
Post Holdings Completes Acquisition of Rachael Ray® Nutrish®, Nature’s Recipe®, and Other Select Pet Food Brands
(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) April 28, 2023 – Post Holdings, Inc.(NYSE: POST), a consumer packaged goods holding company, today announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of select pet food brands from The J.M. Smucker Co., effective April 28, 2023.
The post-holdings pet food acquisition was financed with cash, certain proceeds from a previously announced additional term loan facility, and approximately 5.4 million new shares of Post common stock issued to The J.M. Smucker Co.
About Post Holdings, Inc.
Post Holdings, Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a consumer packaged goods holding company with businesses operating in the refrigerated, center-of-the-store, foodservice, and food ingredients categories. Its portfolio includes Weetabix, Post Consumer Brands, Bob Evans Farms, and Michael Foods. In North America, Post Consumer Brands is a leader in the ready-to-eat cereal and pet food categories and also markets Peter Pan® peanut butter.
Weetabix is home to Weetabix®, the UK’s number-one ready-to-eat cereal brand. Bob Evans Farms and Michael Foods are leaders in refrigerated foods, offering innovative, value-added egg and frozen potato side dish products for both retail and foodservice channels. Post also participates in the private brand food category through its ownership interest in 8th Avenue Food & Provisions, Inc.
For more information, visit www.postholdings.com
Rachael Ray® Nutrish®, Nature’s Recipe® and Other Select Pet Food Brands will be acquired by Post Holdings from The J.M. Smucker Co.
Click this link: Rachael Ray® Nutrish®, Nature’s Recipe®, and Other Select Pet Food Brands will be acquired by Post Holdings from The J.M. Smucker Co.The J.M. Smucker Co. divests several pet food brands to Post Holdings, Inc.
Click this link: The J.M. Smucker Co. divests several pet food brands to Post Holdings, Inc.Post enters the pet food category through $1.2B deal with J.M. Smucker
Click this link: Post enters the pet food category through $1.2B deal with J.M. SmuckerSmucker considers selling Pillsbury after acquiring Rachael Ray’s dog food brand
Click this link: Smucker considers selling Pillsbury after acquiring Rachael Ray’s dog food brandSmucker Sells Nutrish, 9Lives, and Other Pet Food Brands
The transaction includes manufacturing and distribution facilities in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, as well as pet food manufacturing facilities in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and Lawrence, Kansas.
Excerpt from the Post Holdings press release:
The J.M. Smucker Co. has agreed to sell several of its pet food brands to Post Holdings, Inc., a consumer packaged goods company based in St. Louis, Missouri. The transaction includes the Rachael Ray® Nutrish®, Nature’s Recipe®, 9Lives®, Kibbles ’n Bits®, and Gravy Train® brands, as well as Smucker’s private-label pet food business.
[Yes, I want my free daily updates on the pet food industry!]
Smucker’s consideration for the sale of these brands is approximately $1.2 billion, consisting of $700 million in cash and approximately 5.39 million shares of Post Holdings, Inc. common stock.
The agreement also includes related trademarks and licenses, along with manufacturing and distribution facilities in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and pet food manufacturing facilities in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and Lawrence, Kansas. In addition, a group of employees will transfer to Post Holdings, Inc. to support the business.
Smucker expects these brands to generate approximately $1.5 billion in net sales for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2023.
“The smucker pet food divestiture is in line with our strategy to focus investments and resources on those areas of our business that have the strongest growth and profitability potential. In our pet business, this is reflected in our focus on cat food and dog snacks, anchored by our Milk-Bone® and Meow Mix® brands,” said Mark Smucker, President and CEO of The J.M. Smucker Co., in a company press release.
Smucker expects the brand divestiture strategy to be approximately $0.45 dilutive to its adjusted earnings per share on a full-year basis. This reflects pre-accrual gains related to the discontinued brands, offset by transaction income and the impact of stranded overhead costs. The company expects to mitigate these impacts through initiatives within its Transformation Office and by redeploying transaction income over time.
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of Smucker’s fiscal year ending April 30, 2023, subject to customary closing conditions, including required regulatory approvals.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisor to Smucker, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as legal counsel in connection with the transaction.
Smucker will discuss the transaction during its prepared remarks at the Consumer Analyst Group Conference in New York on February 22, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. EST, and again when it releases its third-quarter fiscal 2023 financial results on February 28, 2023.
Nutrish, Rachel Ray’s dog food brand, was sued over glyphosate contamination…
Click this link: Nutrish, Rachel Ray’s dog food brand, was sued over glyphosate contamination…Rachael Ray Dog Food Nutrish is manufactured by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition (now part of The J.M. Smucker Company).
Brand Origin: The line was launched in 2008 under the name “Nutrish” (later renamed “Rachael Ray Nutrish”) through a licensing agreement with celebrity chef Rachael Ray. She contributed her name, recipe inspiration, and a portion of the proceeds to The Rachael Ray Foundation, which supports animal welfare.
Manufacturer History: For many years, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition produced Nutrish. In August 2018, The J.M. Smucker Company completed its acquisition of Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, bringing Nutrish into the Smucker pet foods portfolio.
Branding Note: Rachael Ray serves as a licensor and spokesperson for the brand—she does not personally make the food in her kitchen.
Conclusion: Who owns Rachael Ray dog food
In conclusion, Post Holdings, Inc. currently owns the Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food brand. The company acquired it from The J.M. Smucker Co. in April 2023 as part of a $1.2 billion pet food deal. The strategic brand acquisition also included other popular pet food brands such as Nature’s Recipe, 9Lives, and Kibbles ’n Bits.
If you’d like to learn more about Rachael Ray dog food, please don’t hesitate to contact us or leave a comment below.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)?
Q1.Who bought Rachael Ray dog food?
Ans. Post Holdings acquired Rachael Ray Nutrish, 9Lives, Kibbles ’n Bits, and other pet food brands from The J.M. Smucker Co. for $1.2 billion, the company said in a statement.
Q2.How much did Rachael Ray sell her dog food for?
Ans. The J.M. Smucker Company (SJM) announced that it would acquire Ainsworth Pet Nutrition—the maker of Rachael Ray Nutrish—in a $1.9 billion deal backed by celebrity chef Rachael Ray.
Q3.Does Ellen DeGeneres own a dog food company?
Ans. Yes. Halo, the pet food company co-owned by Ellen DeGeneres, recently released a new vegan formula for dogs called Vegan Garden Medley. This plant-based dog food contains none of the meat or preservatives found in many other pet foods.
Q4.Is Dog Food Nutrish made in China?
Ans. The manufacturer sources high-quality ingredients primarily in the United States, depending on availability. Some premium pet food products—including certain wet foods, dry foods, and treats—may include natural ingredients sourced from China.
Q5.Is Rachael Ray Nutrish being discontinued?
Ans. No. While the brand’s format and packaging may change, Nutrish is not being discontinued. The company’s mission to provide nutritious pet food and support The Rachael Ray Foundation® remains the same.
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