History

From humble beginnings to a global presence

The Purina name began as a company brand which offered livestock nutrition and has evolved into a world class brand representing the importance of strong relationships and trust. Today, Purina is highly recognized and licensed to Cargill, Inc. who proudly offers the Purina extended brand of feeds through its subsidiaries outside the United States, in locations around the world, including Canada.

Rapid Growth from early on

Purina was founded in 1894, by William H. Danforth, near the Mississippi riverfront, in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1905 a second mill started operating in East St. Louis and additional facilities were added in rapid succession. By 1949, Purina operated feed mills in 15 cities from Montreal, Québec to Lubbock, Texas. After taking over from his father in 1932, Donald Danforth continued expanding Purina.

Key factors for lasting success

The Checkerboard logo was an integral factor in Purina’s success. In a time where few understood the value of trademarks or uniform packaging, Purina sold feed in bright red and white checkerboard sacks. With an eye towards scientific progress, the introduction of research laboratories for the feed industry, led Purina to invest in lasting partnerships between employees, dealers, customers, and academia.

Achieving greatness in the feed industry

Renamed to the Ralston-Purina Company (RPC) in 1902, the strength of the Purina brand and what it stands for made it the world’s largest manufacturer of balanced feeds for different animals. Purina’s pet food and animal feed divisions were both owned by Ralston-Purina until 1986, when they decided to sell Purina Mills, the US animal feed business, while retaining the international division.

A time of Transition

In 1998 Ralston Purina spun off its international animal feed business as an independent public company, Agribrands International, Inc. ., but Purina remained the feed brand in the areas of Agribrands operations. Shortly after, in 2001, Agribrands International was acquired by Cargill. In the same year Ralston Purina merged its pet food division with Nestlé S. A., which now owns the Purina brand.

Starting a new chapter

Since its acquisition of Agribrands, Cargill has continued to use and build upon the legacy of Purina, now licensed by Nestlé S.A. Cargill has made strides to invest in the Canadian market and better integrate all parts of the business with its global operations. This allows for significant knowledge-sharing across the world and participation in cutting-edge research and development.

Building on the past, looking to the future

The proud legacy of Purina began with the visionary leadership of William H. Danforth and even with an evolving marketplace, scientific advancement, and a global presence, employees today still build on this legacy. Today, as the leader in providing high-quality animal feeds, we use the most sophisticated network to deliver innovative solutions through animal nutrition products, programs, and services.