Nestlé Purina Petcare (/pjʊˈriːnə/), or simply Purina, is an American subsidiary of Nestlé, based in St. Louis, Missouri. It produces and markets pet food, treats and cat litter. Some of its pet food brands include Purina Pro Plan, Purina Dog Chow, Friskies, Beneful and Purina One. The company was formed in 2001 by combining Nestlé's Friskies Petcare Company with Ralston Purina, which acquired it for $10.3 billion. As of 2012[update], it is the second-largest pet food company globally (with the first being Mars Petcare), and the largest in the United States.In 1894, William H. Danforth, partnered with George Robinson and William Andrews, entered the business of feeding farm animals by founding the Robinson-Danforth Commission Company. The name was changed to Ralston Purina in 1902.[2]Nestlé Purina Petcare was formed in December 2001,[3] when Nestlé acquired Ralston Purina for $10.3 billion and merged it with Nestlé's pet food business, Friskies PetCare Company.[3] Ralston had marketed the Dog Chow, Cat Chow and Pro Plan pet food brands, while Nestlé produced Friskies and Alpo brand pet foods.[4] [Wikipedia]
