Nutrena

What Nutrena does

Nutrena is a US animal feed brand owned by Cargill, Incorporated, with origins dating to 1921 (originally Miller-McConnell Grain Company) and Cargill ownership since 1945. Headquartered in Wayzata, Minnesota, with operational footprint including the Cargill Innovation Center in Elk River and Kansas City offices, the brand manufactures and markets formulated feed products across equine (SafeChoice, NatureWise, ProForce, Empower, Triumph), pet (Loyall Life), beef cattle (NutreBeef), dairy (Dairyway), poultry, small ruminant (sheep, goats), swine, rabbits, llamas, alpacas, aquaculture, and wildlife categories. The product portfolio is built on a portfolio of proprietary nutritional technologies including Digestive Shield, Rebound Technology, Nutri-Bloom Advantage, Topline Balance, FlockShield, TruMune Power, the Opti-Cook Process, and Herbal Blend, supported by Cargill's ingredient sourcing network of 1,100+ suppliers and 180+ ingredients and a research infrastructure comprising 2 innovation centers, 16 application centers, and 90+ Ph.D. scientists.

Nutrena operates a B2B2C distribution model, selling packaged feed through farm supply stores, Tractor Supply Company, authorized dealer networks, and online retailers (Chewy, Amazon, and farm-store e-commerce) to a fragmented base of individual horse owners, backyard poultry keepers, hobby farmers, smallholder livestock producers, and pet owners. The brand maintains official-feed marketing partnerships with major equine associations including the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA), United States Eventing Association (USEA), and United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA), alongside academic research collaborations with the University of Minnesota, Michigan State, Texas A&M, University of Maryland, and University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

As a privately held Cargill subsidiary, Nutrena does not disclose standalone financials. Revenue is generated through retail shelf velocity across a multi-species, multi-brand SKU portfolio, with margin economics typical of packaged branded feed - relatively stable volumes, raw-material-cost-linked input costs, and pricing power anchored by 100+ years of brand equity and Cargill's procurement scale. The 2023-2026 strategic pattern shows a sustained innovation cadence, including the SafeChoice relaunch (2023) and ProForce relaunch (2025) around Digestive Shield, the Loyall Life relaunch with Healthy Digestion SKU (2025), and the 2026 NatureWise brand refresh with adjacent product launches (TidBits treats, Silkie & Ornamental, Enhanced Protein, Harvest Blend).

Name

Nutrena

Legal name

Nutrena Animal Feeds (brand of Cargill, Incorporated)

Website

https://nutrenaworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nutrena is a Cargill-owned US animal feed brand, founded 1921, marketing formulated feed across equine, poultry, pet, beef, dairy, and small ruminant categories through farm supply stores, Tractor Supply, and online retailers, supported by proprietary nutritional technologies and Cargill's R&D and procurement infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Feed and Nutrition

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutraceuticals & Functional Ingredients for Animal Diets (Probiotics, Omega-3, Joint, GI) (HLAMAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Livestock & Poultry Nutrition (Feed & Premixes) (HLAMAHAD), Specialty Small Animal Feed (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Ferrets, etc.) (AFADAFAI), Specialty & Condition-Specific Nutraceuticals (e.g., Liver, Eye, Endocrine) (HLAMALAO)

Keywords

• Animal feed products
• Equine nutrition feeds
• Poultry feed supplements
• Premium pet food
• Livestock feed formulations

Headquarters

HQ city

Wayzata

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Animal Feed Products: Nutrena generates revenue through the sale of scientifically-formulated animal feeds and supplements for horses, poultry, pets (dogs and cats), beef cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, dairy cows, llamas, alpacas, fish, and wildlife. Products are sold through farm supply stores, retailers, and online channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Nutrena manufactures and sells scientifically-formulated animal nutrition products including controlled-starch horse feeds (SafeChoice, ProForce, Empower, Triumph), natural poultry feeds (NatureWise, Nature Smart Organic, Country Feeds), super premium pet foods (Loyall Life, Nutrena True), and feeds for beef cattle, dairy calves, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, fish, and wildlife. The portfolio is differentiated by proprietary technologies such as Digestive Shield, Topline Balance, FlockShield, and TruMune developed by 90+ Ph.D. scientists, and is sold primarily through farm supply stores, Tractor Supply Company, and authorized retailers.

Product overview

Nutrena is an animal feed company offering a comprehensive portfolio of feed products across multiple species categories. The product ecosystem includes horse feeds (SafeChoice, ProForce, Empower, Triumph), poultry feeds (NatureWise, Nature Smart Organic, Country Feeds), pet foods (Loyall Life Super Premium, Nutrena True), beef cattle feeds (NutreBeef), dairy feeds (Dairyway), rabbit feeds, fish feeds (Nature's Canvas), wildlife feeds, and all-purpose livestock feeds. The company also provides educational resources, feed selector tools, and a See the Difference trial program. Nutrena focuses on scientifically formulated nutrition with proprietary technologies like Digestive Shield for horses and FlockShield for poultry, backed by over 90 Ph.D. scientists and partnerships with leading research universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafeChoice: Controlled starch horse feed formulas with Digestive Shield technology for all life stages and activity levels.
• NatureWise
• Loyall Life
• ProForce
• Empower
• Triumph
• Country Feeds
• Dairyway
• NutreBeef
• Nature's Canvas
• Nutrena True

Products and services

• SafeChoice Horse Feeds Controlled-starch horse feed line for all life stages and activity levels, featuring Digestive Shield technology for gut and immune support, suitable for performance horses, seniors, broodmares, foals, and horses with metabolic conditions.
• ProForce Horse Feeds High-fat horse feeds with Rebound Technology, Topline Balance, Nutri-Bloom Advantage, and antioxidants designed for active horses and hard keepers.
• Empower Supplements Horse feed supplements and diet balancers providing maximum nutrition at low feeding rates, including ration balancers and digestive support top-dress products.
• Triumph Horse Feeds
• NatureWise Poultry Feeds Natural poultry feeds with wholesome ingredients, FlockShield technology, and Herbal Blend for backyard flocks including laying hens, broilers, ducks, geese, silkie and ornamental birds.
• Nature Smart Organic Poultry Feeds USDA Certified Organic poultry feeds with a mix of organic ingredients for flocks requiring certified organic nutrition.
• Country Feeds Poultry Feeds Value-priced poultry feeds with trusted nutrition for flocks, including species-specific duck feed.
• Loyall Life Super Premium Pet Food Super premium pet foods for dogs and cats with high-quality protein as the first ingredient, supporting immune strength, easy digestion, and healthy mobility, including specialized recipes such as Advanced Solutions Healthy Digestion.
• Nutrena True Pet Food Value-packed pet food products tailored to activity level for family and active dogs.
• NutreBeef Beef Cattle Feeds Complete feed solutions for beef cattle including starters, growers, finishers, cubes, and minerals for cow/calf, finishing, and stocker operations.
• Dairyway Calf Products Calf starter feeds providing carbohydrates, energy, minerals, and vitamins for calf growth and bone development.
• NatureWise Rabbit Feeds Natural nutrition feeds for rabbits supporting growth and good health across show, premium, and pet rabbit segments.
• Nature's Canvas Fish Feeds Fish feeds for catfish, koi, pond fish, and trophy fish with high protein content and color-enhancing ingredients.
• Nature's Canvas Wildlife Feeds Wildlife feeds including products for deer, turkeys, pheasants, quail, and birds in native environments.
• Country Feeds All Purpose Feeds Multi-purpose feeds for various livestock including select stock feed, whole corn, cracked corn, and oats.
• See the Difference Trials Program Trial program with coupon-based discounts and a money-back satisfaction guarantee that enables customers to try Nutrena products through local retailers before committing.

Quantifiable outcome

• NSC levels as low as 10% in SafeChoice Special Care for metabolic horses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Leatherdale Equine Center, University of MinnesotacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Nutrena and the University of Minnesota partnered in the development of the Leatherdale Equine Center, with a community space recognized as the Nutrena Conference Center. The Equine Center provides advanced diagnostic capabilities and research focused on causes of performance problems in equine athletes.
• Michigan State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership studying effects of different nutrients and ingredient combinations on glycemic response in horses. Customer value includes added safety and optimal calorie utilization for superior equine performance.
• Texas A&M UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to determine optimal amino acid requirements in young, growing horses. Research provides ideal amino acid levels for muscle development, joint health and bone formation.
• University of MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch study on effects of starch levels and direct fed microbials on gut health. Provides superior gut health with minimized risk of nutritionally related problems including metabolic disorders.
• University of Wisconsin – River FallscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on glycogen repletion in high performing horses. Develops solutions for high active horses to improve performance and recovery.
• American Quarter Horse AssociationflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Equine Feed of the world's largest horse breed association since 2001. Provides brand visibility and credibility among equestrian community.
• National Reined Cow Horse AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Equine Feed sponsor providing marketing and brand association with reined cow horse competition.
• United States Eventing AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Equine Feed sponsor for eventing competitions and member services.
• United States Hunter Jumper AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Equine Feed sponsor for hunter jumper competitions and member programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/nutrenafeed
• Facebookfacebook.com/nutrena
• Instagraminstagram.com/nutrenafeed
• Xx.com/NutrenaFeed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nutrena