Short answers, pulled from the story.
Nestlé Purina PetCare was formed in December 2001 when Nestlé acquired Ralston Purina for $10.3 billion and merged it with its own Friskies PetCare Company. The Federal Trade Commission approved the deal after Purina sold the Meow Mix and Alley Cat brands to J.W. Childs Equity Partners.
William H. Danforth founded the company in 1893, and in 1894 he partnered with George Robinson and William Andrews to enter the animal-feed business as Purina Mills in St. Louis, Missouri. The name changed to Ralston Purina in 1902.
Nestlé Purina PetCare is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, at 800 Chouteau Avenue, the same site where Ralston Purina built its first building in 1902. The campus includes sixteen buildings on 50 acres, anchored by a 15-story main tower. In Europe, Purina's headquarters is in La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland.
Nestlé Purina PetCare's major brands include Purina Pro Plan, Purina Dog Chow, Friskies, Beneful, and Purina ONE. Friskies is positioned as a budget brand, while Purina ONE and Beneful target health-conscious or ingredient-conscious consumers; Purina ONE has been the company's fastest-growing brand.
The FDA received more than 900 reports from pet owners claiming Waggin' Train chicken treats caused illness or death. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets found antibiotics in the chicken from China that were not legal for consumption in the United States. The brand was temporarily pulled from the market, and a $6.5 million settlement was reached in early 2014; the product was later re-introduced after the company revamped its manufacturing process and supply chain.
Nina Leigh Krueger was announced as CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare for the Americas in November 2020. She is the first woman to hold that position.
In fiscal year 2022, Purina PetCare revenue reached $19.385 billion, with organic growth of 14.5 percent. As of January 2023, Purina was the largest pet care company in the United States and the second-largest globally, behind Mars Petcare.