As Americans keep spoiling their pets, companies invest in the fast-growing category

It’s a dog-eat-dog-food world… and we’re all just living in it. The human economy isn’t doing too hot, but the pet economy is still thriving: Jam icon J.M. Smucker struck a deal to sell its pet-food brands to cereal company Post for $1.2B. Smucker said that the brands (which include Rachael Ray Nutrish and Kibbles ’n Bits), will make $1.5 billion for the fiscal year. But Smucker isn’t shedding pets: it’ll focus on its fast-growing Milk-Bone dog snacks and Meow Mix cat food.

Grass-fed lamb for Fluffy… while you eat frozen peas. The pet-food biz is growing fast as Americans keep showering their fur babies with premium treats, despite inflation. Nestlé, aka: the world’s largest food company, makes pretty much anything that begins with "Nes" (presso, quik). But its biggest growth driver isn’t Nes-treats — it’s pet treats.

• Net-pet-so: In the first nine months of last year, Nestlé’s Purina PetCare unit was once again the largest contributor to organic growth.

• One two pet: Petco has had 16 straight quarters of year-over-year sales growth as “pet parents continue to prioritize the health and wellness of their pets.”

• Cereal pet lover: In 2018 General Mills splurged $8B to buy Buffalo Pet Food, and last year it bought Tyson’s pet-treats biz. It expects pet-related sales to accelerate this year.

• Chewy chow: In its last reported quarter, Chewy delivered accelerating double-digit sales growth and said it’s “a clear indication of the resiliency of the pet category.”