A History Of Innovation
Since its inception, Purina has been a pioneer in nutritional innovations with the goal of helping dogs and cats live better, longer lives. The Purina we know today reflects the coming together of three established pet care businesses: Purina ®, Spillers ® and Friskies ®. Each has its own rich heritage of scientific breakthroughs and has played a vital role in establishing Purina as a global leader in pet nutrition. However, our work is just beginning. Our Research & Development team is committed to discovering the next innovation that harnesses the power of nutrition, improving the lives of pets and the people who love them
1894
Purina is founded in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
William H. Danforth founds Purina in 1894. He initially produces feed for farm animals, but Danforth aims higher to build a company that will provide the best and purest nutrition for companion animals in a convenient, easy-to-use form.
1926
First center dedicated to dog nutrition
Purina opens its research center in Gray Summit, Missouri. A scientific approach can now be taken to research a dog’s nutritional needs, supported by feeding studies and nutritional tests.
1957
First extruded dog food
Purina is the first to apply extrusion technology to dog food, allowing ingredients to be properly cooked while enhancing nutritional quality, digestibility and taste. This creates a distinctively shaped and textured food known today as “kibble.”
1961
First dry cat food with taurine
Purina is the first to add taurine, an essential amino acid for cats, to dry cat food. A deficiency in taurine can result in a number of conditions, most notably retinal degeneration and dilated cardiomyopathy. Cats require dietary taurine as they are unable to produce sufficient amounts naturally.One year later Purina extends its extrusion technology to dry cat food
1986
Purina Mills
Purina sells the animal feed business and focuses on PET FOOD that becomes its Core Business.
1993
Body condition System is developed
Purina creates the first widely used and scientifically validated body condition score system. The tool provides a simple method for estimating body fat coverage and determining a pet’s optimal body condition, regardless of breed or body weight.
1999
DNN distribution center
Purina establishes the world’s first and only Canine Reference Family DNA Distribution Center, providing assistance to top researchers mapping the canine genome.
2000
First diet to manage feline diabetes with high protein and minimal carbohydrates
Purina’s work is revolutionary in addressing feline diabetes through a low carbohydrate, high protein diet. A clinical study showed that 89% of cats fed Purina’s diet had an overall reduction in insulin requirements, with 33% no longer needing insulin at all. Purina is also the first to use fiber in cat food to help manage hairballs as part of a normal feeding routine. The fiber helps bind the hair entering the stomach when grooming, safely transport it through and out of the digestive tract, reducing the incidence of hairballs.
2001
Nestlé S.A. acquires Ralston Purina
After the acquisition of Friskies pet food in 1985 and Spillers Pet Foods in 1998, Nestlé expands its pet food holdings by acquiring Purina. The merger of these two global pet food companies creates a strong and complementary portfolio of products. The newly combined company brings together the unique scientific knowledge and expertise from both Nestlé and Purina to create one of the world’s leading scientific authorities in pet care.
2004
First diet to apply nutrigenomics to help manage disease.
The expression of multiple genes is altered in osteoarthritis, resulting in inflammation and the production of destructive enzymes. Purina identifies specific amounts of omega-3 fatty acids to help improve mobility. Clinical research confirms the efficacy of this nutritional intervention through a reduction in lameness.
2005
First diet to use colostrum to help support the natural defenses of puppies and kittens.
Purina scientists are the first to study and demonstrate the benefits of including colostrum in a pet’s diet. Research identifies that weaned puppies and kittens fed a diet supplemented with the bioactives in colostrum have strong, long-lasting local and systemic immunity. Results also demonstrate that colostrum promotes diversity and stability of gut microorganisms.
2006
First cat diet proven to extend a mature cat’s healthy life
Purina develops a proprietary blend of nutrients (including prebiotics, omega-6 and 3 fatty acids, vitamin E and beta-carotene) that is scientifically proven to increase longevity. This nutrient blend also improves multiple health parameters in older cats, such as better weight maintenance, serum vitamin E levels, bone density and skin fold thickness.
2007
Acquired Supercoat
Purina purchased the Supercoat brand and dog food product range, which are proudly made in Australia at our Blayney factory in NSW.
This range of pet food continues to be sold in all major grocery and pet specialty stores.
2010
First well dog diet clinically proven to improve canine cognitive function
Around age 7, the glucose metabolism in a dog’s brain begins to change, affecting cognitive function including memory, learning and decision-making. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) provide an alternative energy source for the aging brain. Purina research shows that feeding a diet with MCTs significantly enhances cognitive function in older dogs.
2010
Nestlé Australia’s Purina PetCare division acquires KraMar pet accessories and expands it's offering into both grocery and pet specialty stores to include pet accessories.
2016
First diet clinically proven to maintain cognitive function in older cats
Purina scientists demonstrate that the cognitive function of middle-aged cats can be sustained by supplementing their diet with a proprietary blend of nutrients containing fish oil, B vitamins, antioxidants and arginine. When fed a diet formulated with this blend, cats displayed better memory and an enhanced ability to solve problems.
2017
First diet clinically proven to help with the management of canine epilepsy
In Purina’s collaborative research with the Royal Veterinary College, London, dogs with idiopathic epilepsy were fed a diet with a proprietary blend of medium–chain triglycerides (MCTs) as an adjunct to veterinary therapy. In as little as 90 days, 14% of dogs on the study achieved complete freedom from seizures and another 71% showed a reduction in seizure frequency.
2018
Purina institute
With a solid foundation of science, Purina launches the Purina Institute, a global professional organization with a mission to advance nutritional science to help pets live better, longer lives. The Purina Institute seeks to elevate the topic of pet nutrition with veterinarians to drive conversations with pet owners about the important role that scientifically-based nutrition plays in the overall health of their pets?