Milk-Bone

What Milk-Bone does

Milk-Bone is a U.S. consumer packaged goods brand of dog biscuits and treats, founded in 1908 in New York City and manufactured in Buffalo, New York since 1957. Its portfolio spans more than 20 product varieties organized around format (biscuits, soft and chewy, long-lasting chews, dental chews) and use case (everyday treating, training, dental health, medication administration via Pill Pouches, puppies and small breeds), with formulations featuring real meat as a primary ingredient and, since 1977, fortification with 12+ vitamins and minerals. Sub-brands include MaroSnacks, Brushing Chews, Comfort Chews, Pill Pouches, and the entertainment-licensed Krypto Treats, plus a co-branded Milk-Bone X Jif peanut butter line.

The brand's commercial model is mass-market CPG retail: products are sold as one-time consumer purchases through national grocery chains, mass merchants (Walmart, Target), pet specialty retailers (PetSmart, Petco), and direct e-commerce at milkbone.com, with marketing executed through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, the Dog Blog, entertainment partnerships (Warner Bros/DC Studios, Cleveland Browns), and a long-running service-dog partnership with Canine Assistants established in 1997. Milk-Bone has been a wholly owned brand of The J.M. Smucker Co. since its March 2015 acquisition from Big Heart Pet Brands, and the Buffalo facility achieved TRUE Zero Waste Gold certification in 2019.

Name

Milk-Bone

Legal name

Big Heart Pet, Inc.

Website

https://milkbone.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Milk-Bone is a 115-year-old U.S. dog treat and biscuit brand, owned by J.M. Smucker Co. since 2015 and manufactured in Buffalo, NY, selling 20+ treat varieties through mass, grocery, and pet specialty retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dog Treats

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing (311821)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Cookies & Crackers (2052)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Treats & Chews (AFADAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Treats & Chews (CRADAFAE), Dental & Oral Health Supplements (HLAMALAG)

Keywords

• Dog treats
• Dog biscuits
• Pet snacks
• Dental dog chews
• Pet food products

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Augustine

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, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consumer Pet Treats Sales: Milk-Bone generates revenue through the sale of dog treats and biscuits across multiple retail channels including national grocery chains, mass merchants (Walmart, Target), pet specialty retailers (PetSmart, Petco), and direct e-commerce. Products are sold as one-time consumer purchases with various size and format options.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Milk-Bone manufactures and sells dog biscuits and treats for U.S. dog owners, offering 20+ varieties across crunchy biscuits (Original, Flavor Snacks, MaroSnacks, Mini's), soft & chewy treats (including Pill Pouches for medication and Milk-Bone X Jif peanut buttery treats), long-lasting chews (Comfort Chews, Flavor Rolls), and dental chews (Brushing Chews). Products are fortified with 12+ vitamins and minerals, made with real meat ingredients, and produced at the company's Buffalo, NY manufacturing facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MaroSnacks: Dog treat brand under Milk-Bone featuring treats in various flavors including large, small, peanut butter flavor, and bacon flavor.
• Milk-Bone X Jif
• Comfort Chews
• Pill Pouches
• Brushing Chews
• Krypto Treats

Products and services

• Original Dog Biscuits The flagship crunchy Milk-Bone biscuit, originally launched in 1908 (renamed in 1915). Fortified with 12+ vitamins and minerals, designed as a classic everyday dog reward treat. Available in small, medium, and large sizes since 1940.
• Flavor Snacks Biscuits Flavored crunchy biscuits introduced nationally in 1962 with six original flavors (milk, meat, vegetable, cheese, bone, liver). Designed to add variety to everyday dog rewarding.
• MaroSnacks Milk-Bone sub-brand of dog biscuits available in multiple flavor and size options including large, small, peanut butter, and bacon. Marketed under the MaroSnacks® name.
• Mini's Biscuits Smaller-sized Milk-Bone biscuits designed for small-breed dogs, including special-edition seasonal variants such as the Red, White & Woof Mixed Berry flavored biscuits.
• Soft & Chewy Dog Treats Soft-textured dog treats for dogs preferring a tender chew. Parent product line under which specialty items like Krypto Treats Soft & Chewy Mini's (with real beef and filet mignon) are sold.
• Pill Pouches for Dogs Soft, chewy treats specifically engineered to wrap around pills and capsules, simplifying medication administration for dogs. Targets dog owners who struggle to give oral medication to their pets.
• Brushing Chews Daily dental treats for dogs formulated to help clean teeth and freshen breath. Brushing Chews are positioned as a daily-use dental care chew within the Milk-Bone portfolio.
• Comfort Chews Long-lasting chews for dogs made with real USA raised beef; rawhide-free. Designed for extended engagement and as a comforting chew.
• Flavor Rolls Long-lasting chew offering in Milk-Bone's chew portfolio, providing extended chewing engagement.
• Milk-Bone X Jif Peanut Buttery Treats Collaboration product line with Jif peanut butter. Includes Peanut Buttery Bites, Peanut Buttery Cups, Peanut Buttery Dipped Biscuits, and Natural Peanut Butter Spread products, all made with real Jif peanut butter.
• Krypto Treats (Soft & Chewy Mini's with Real Beef & Filet Mignon) Soft and chewy mini dog treats made with real beef and filet mignon. Tied to Warner Bros/DC Studios' Supergirl movie partnership featuring Krypto the Superdog.
• Holiday-Themed Dog Treats Collection Seasonal holiday-themed assortment of dog treats including seasonal biscuits, candy cane-shaped biscuits, and a holiday countdown calendar. Sold online and in retail outlets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Milk-Bone brand partners generated over $100 million in media value for Warner Bros/DC Studios Supergirl campaign with 80+ sponsors
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Warner Bros/DC StudiosflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026Milk-Bone is one of 80+ brand partners in Warner Bros/DC Studios' Supergirl movie promotional campaign, representing one of the largest promotional partnership campaigns ever with over $100 million in media value. Includes 65 international partners and 14 North American partners. Milk-Bone Krypto Treats are specifically featured as a tie-in product for the film featuring Krypto the Superdog.
• Cleveland BrownsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, the Cleveland Browns announced The Barking Backers, presented by Milk-Bone. This is the team's first fan club for dogs and dog parents, providing exclusive items and access to members-only events during football season.
• Canine AssistantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Milk-Bone began a partnership with Canine Assistants in 1997 to provide treats for service dogs around the world. This is a long-standing partnership supporting service dogs and their handlers.
• JifflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilk-Bone has developed a product line collaboration with Jif peanut butter, creating Milk-Bone X Jif treats made with real Jif peanut butter. Includes Peanut Buttery Bites, Peanut Buttery Cups, Peanut Buttery Dipped Biscuits, and Natural Peanut Butter Spread products.
• Dunkin' Joy in Childhood FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMilk-Bone has partnered with the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, which supports dogs who bring joy to hospitalized children. Includes co-branded Dunkin' Vanilla Glaze Flavor Dog Biscuits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pedigree: Mars Petcare's flagship mass-market dog food and treat brand; directly comparable to Milk-Bone in targeting mainstream U.S. dog owners via grocery, mass, and pet specialty channels with biscuits and chews.
• Old Mother Hubbard (Wellness): Heritage baked dog biscuit brand under Wellness; closest direct analogue to Milk-Bone's crunchy biscuit positioning with a natural-ingredient angle.
• Blue Buffalo (Blue Buffalo Pet Foods): General Mills-owned premium natural pet food brand with Blue Bones and Blue Stix treats; competes for the same dog-owning households but at a premium/natural price tier versus Milk-Bone.
• Beneful: Nestlé Purina's mass-market dog food and treat brand; comparable to Milk-Bone in targeting value-tier dog owners through Walmart, Target, and grocery distribution.
• Beggin' Strips: Nestlé Purina's bacon-flavored soft dog treat brand; competes head-to-head with Milk-Bone's soft & chewy treats in mass and grocery channels.
• Greenies: Mars-owned dental dog chew brand; directly comparable to Milk-Bone's Brushing Chews in the functional dental treat segment targeting daily oral care for dogs.

Emerging players

• Wellness Pet Food: Independent natural pet food and treat brand targeting premium and health-conscious pet parents; an emerging competitor pressuring Milk-Bone in the natural treat segment.
• KONG: Maker of KONG stuffing treats and long-lasting chew products; competes with Milk-Bone's Comfort Chews and Pill Pouches in the functional/enrichment treat category.

Broad incumbents

• Hill's Pet Nutrition: Colgate-Palmolive-owned science-led pet nutrition brand with Hill's Science Diet treats; a broad incumbent in pet health and nutrition that overlaps with Milk-Bone's fortified/vitamin positioning.
• Purina (Nestlé Purina PetCare): Largest U.S. pet food manufacturer with extensive dog treat and biscuit offerings (Beggin' Strips, Busy Bone); a broad incumbent that competes with Milk-Bone across biscuits, dental chews, and training treats.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/milkbone
• Instagraminstagram.com/milkbone
• TikToktiktok.com/@milkbone
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milk-bone

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 Milk-Bone