MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills announced April 30 it had successfully acquired Edgard & Cooper, a Kortrijk, Belgium-based premium pet food brand, as part of its Accelerate strategy. According to General Mills, Edgard & Cooper posted 2023 retail sales exceeding €100 million (roughly $107 million USD) and is poised for continued growth across the 13 European markets it serves.

“Edgard & Cooper is at the intersection of our Accelerate strategy’s core markets and global platforms,” said Jon Nudi, group president of General Mills’ Pet, International and North America Foodservice divisions, who assumed the position in January 2024. “We’re thrilled to welcome the Edgard & Cooper team to the General Mills family, and we look forward to partnering together to advance their mission to revolutionize premium, natural pet food.”

Under General Mills’ ownership, Edgard & Cooper Founders Koen Bostoen, Louis Chalabi and Jürgen Degrande will continue to lead the business, which will operate as an independent unit with financial results listed under General Mills’ International division.

“We’re excited to join Team General Mills and continue doing what Edgard & Cooper is passionate about — making better dog and cat food with real ingredients that pets love and pet owners feel good about,” Bostoen said. “Combining our brand’s natural positioning and commercial capabilities with General Mills’ marketing and supply chain expertise, we’re ready to accelerate Edgard & Cooper’s growth.”

Since 2016, Edgard & Cooper has specialized in high-quality, premium dog and cat food designed with environmental impact in mind. The brand leverages an omnichannel distribution network to deliver dry and wet diets, as well as a variety of treats for dogs, to consumers across Europe.

Edgard & Cooper has been backed by The Craftory, a global consumer venture capital fund, since 2020. The firm led series B and C funding rounds for the pet food company, helping Edgard & Cooper raise $26 million and $22 million, respectively. 

"Edgard and Cooper’s journey is the perfect substantiation of The Craftory’s belief in the power of brands, cause-driven business culture, and exceptional founders," said Elio Leoni Sceti, co-founder and chief crafter at The Craftory. "Koen, Louis and Jurgen combine vision, energy and determination with a focus on excellent execution. They’ve been a perfect fit for The Craftory’s operating model — partnering and working closely with the brands we invest in — which has supported Edgard and Cooper’s move to profitability and fivefold growth during their time in our portfolio.

"We are thrilled that these results, and the strength of the business, have attracted General Mills and wish all the best for Koen, Louis, Jurgen and the whole Edgard and Cooper team in their next, no doubt successful, chapter," Sceti added.

Bostoen commented, "We are hugely grateful for the support we have received from the team at The Craftory in recent years. Capital that is invested in sustainable growth and wider social ambitions, and not solely interested in profit, is hard to come by — it has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Edgard and Cooper brand and its story."

Bostoen, Chalabi and Degrande posted a letter to its customers on Edgard & Cooper’s website announcing the acquisition.

"Today marks a significant milestone in our journey as we embark on a new chapter in our mission. We are happy to announce that we are joining General Mills," they wrote. "With their support of our ‘food-for-pets’ philosophy of using real, natural ingredients, we can reach more dogs and cats worldwide while staying true to our brand’s values of sustainability and charity, which are so dear to us."

Edgard & Cooper joins General Mills’ existing pet food portfolio, which includes the Blue Buffalo brand and a portfolio of treats formerly owned by Tyson.

Read more about corporate strategy, financial performance, mergers and acquisitions on our Business page.