About Us
Feeding theworld's loveof their pets.
For more than 75 years, Sunshine Mills has been a family-owned company built on a simple belief: pets are family, and they deserve nutrition you can trust.
Today, we are a vertically integrated pet food manufacturer delivering high-quality, value-driven nutrition at scale. With multiple U.S.-based facilities, we control every step of the process—from ingredient sourcing to finished product—ensuring consistency, safety, and efficiency across everything we produce. Each of our plants operates under rigorous food safety standards, reinforcing our commitment to dependable, repeatable quality.
Our products – both branded and private label – serve customers across mass retail, grocery, pet specialty, farm and feed, and club channels nationwide.
Sunshine Mills has developed through four generations as a truly American family business.
Headquartered in the rural north Alabama town of Red Bay, the company began as a producer of animal feed in 1947. Over 75 years later, we operate 8 pet food & treat production facilities in the United States and ship to more than 30 countries worldwide.
As much as we have grown, we have never lost our focus on family values. Our pets are a part of our family. That’s why we at Sunshine Mills do everything in our power to craft carefully designed food and treats to help you maintain your pet’s health and happiness for many years to come.
Our Legacy
Our story has unfolded over generations of change, both within our company and across the pet food industry. Yet through every chapter, our commitment to quality products and to the customers we serve continues to shape our path forward.
Humble Beginnings
In the 1940’s Omer J. Bullen started a wholesale grocery business that included small animal feed & locally made corn meal in Red Bay, Alabama. His son-in-law Fred Bostick Jr. joined the business in 1947, working to grow the feed operation.
A New Mill in Tupelo
In 1957, Sunshine opened a manufacturing plant in Tupelo, MS. The facility produced Sunshine brand corn meal and grits, expanding the company’s growing food production business. This helped position Sunshine Mills for the next step in the company’s evolution.
The First Dog Food
Circa 1960, Sunshine produced its first batch of ration dry dog food. Mixed together in a wheelbarrow, the recipe included pork cracklings, animal fat, salt, and corn flakes. That humble beginning marked the start of Sunshine’s journey into pet food production.
Brand Growth
John Bostick joined the team in the early 70’s and helped develop Sunshine’s economy dog foods into more complete product lines. Over the next several years the Sunshine and Field Trial brands grew to be leaders in value across the Southern United States.
New Leadership
In 1984, Alan Bostick became President and CEO of Sunshine Mills. He continued the progress and foresight of his grandfather, father, and brother, expanding their product line to include cat food and growing geographic reach.
Manufacturing Expansion
In 1987, Sunshine Mills built a state of the art dry food manufacturing plant in Halifax, Virginia. This marked another step in the company’s steady expansion in production and distribution along the east coast.
Acquisitions & Growth
In the 2000’s, Sunshine expanded and solidified its manufacturing presence with dry pet food plants in Winterville, NC, Dublin, GA, & Elkhart, IN. Baked capacity was added in Halifax, VA. These additions increased production and created logistical efficiencies for customers.
Leading the Nation
In 2023, Sunshine extended it’s footprint to the west by acquiring a large biscuit manufacturing facility in Joplin, MO. With multiple ovens in 2 states, the addition positioned Sunshine as one of the largest biscuit manufacturers in the US with a focus on private label biscuits and baked dog & cat food.
Feeding Pets Around the World
With 8 production facilities in 7 states, Sunshine continues to build on a foundation shaped by generations of growth. Through continued investment in people, facilities, and new ideas, Sunshine remains focused on feeding pets for generations to come.
We operate at the intersection of manufacturing discipline and real-world understanding of pet families.
Our partners choose Sunshine Mills because we deliver:
01End-to-End Control
Our vertically integrated processes give us complete oversight from sourcing to final production, ensuring consistent quality at every stage. This level of control also allows us to optimize costs without compromising the integrity of the products we deliver.
02Flexible Production
We’re built to pivot quickly, adjusting production schedules, formulations, and packaging to meet evolving customer demands. Whether responding to market trends or shifting volumes, our team ensures you stay ahead without disruption.
03Reliable Execution
With robust infrastructure and proven processes, we consistently deliver high-quality products at scale. From retail shelves to e-commerce and specialty distribution, we execute with precision to support your growth across every channel.
04Value-Driven Solutions
We combine smart formulation, efficient manufacturing, and strategic sourcing to create products that deliver both quality and affordability. The result is dependable nutrition solutions that meet consumer expectations while supporting your bottom line.
But what makes us different isn’t just how we operate—it’s why.
We know the products we make don’t just sit on shelves. They’re poured into bowls, trusted by families, and relied on every single day. That responsibility drives how we source, formulate, and produce—because behind every product is a pet that matters.
Built on Family Values.Proven in the Market.
While we’ve grown into a national manufacturing partner, we’ve never lost our foundation.
Our team brings decades of experience, operational discipline, and a shared commitment to doing things the right way—for our partners and for the pets they serve.
Our Commitment
We are committed to helping our partners succeed by delivering:
This company is about more than manufacturing.
It’s about supporting the health and happiness of pets, strengthening the bond they share with their families, and delivering solutions our partners can stand behind with confidence.
That’s what we’ve done for over 75 years,
and what we continue to deliver every day.
