Nestlé Purina PetCare Factory Expansion, Clinton, Iowa

Nestlé Purina announced the Clinton factory expansion in February 2020. Credit: Nestlé Purina PetCare Company.

Nestlé Purina currently employs 360 people in the Clinton factory. Credit: Nestlé S.A.

The Clinton factory expansion will help meet the growing demand for nutritious, science-based pet foods. Credit: Nestlé Purina PetCare Company.

Pet food manufacturer Nestlé Purina Petcare is expanding its Clinton facility in Iowa, US, to increase its production capacity.

Announced in February 2020, the Nestlé Purina facility expansion is being implemented with an estimated investment of $140m. The investment will be spread between 2020 and 2023.

The expansion project represents the company’s commitment to growing business and evolving pet nutrition. It will also enable Purina to meet the rising demand for nutritious, science-based cat and dog foods.

Nestlé Purina PetCare Factory location and details

The Purina factory is located at 2200 Manufacturing Drive, Clinton. It manufactures the company’s Purina ONE and Purina Pro Plan brands and is also involved in the design and innovation of new products.

The investment will contribute to the addition of packaging and processing lines for the production of dry or kibble-based pet foods. The project will increase the production of nutritious and quality brands.

Opened in 1969, the Clinton manufacturing facility celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 2019. It is the only producer of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets dry pet food.

Project benefits

The project will create direct and indirect employment opportunities for the local population. It will bring more than 60 positions, primarily in areas such as production and maintenance. The proposed investment will also support the expansion of infrastructure for rural Iowa.

Sustainable features implemented by Nestlé Purina

Nestlé Purina is working with Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN to drive sustainability in its grains supply chain. The partnership is supporting environmental stewardship practices on 50,000 acres of farmland through Truterra™ Insights Engine™ on-farm conservation management platform.

Purina is focused on reducing the impact on the environment by reducing emissions and minimising waste and water usage.

The company follows the practice of responsible sourcing of ingredients for its products. It sources 40% of its electricity from solar and hydro power. The renewable energy sources reduce the company’s greenhouse gas emissions by 15%.

Water usage efficiency at the US factories was improved by more than 20% by 2018 and is targeted to be increased to 35% in 2020. The pet foods maker achieved zero waste in 80% of its facilities. The introduction of composting and compostable food containers at the headquarters contributed to the reduction in waste.

Purina aims to achieve the goal of making all of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. To this effect, the company introduced cans made of aluminium or steel for its products.

Nestlé Purina product portfolio

The company offers cat and dog food, litter and treats. The Clinton factory produced 190 different products in the last 50 years.

The product range includes complete and balanced nutritional offerings, as well as specific health solutions to address areas such as digestive health, early development, senior cognition, and weight management.

The company markets its products under multiple brands, which include Beneful, Purina ONE, Purina Pro Plan, Friskies, Dog Chow, Muse, Kit & Kaboodle, Beyond, Deli-Cat, DentaLife, Scamp, Bella, Frosty Paws, Mighty Dog, and Fancy Feast. Unveiled in February 2020, Purina Pro Plan LiveClear is designed to reduce the allergens in cat dander and hair.

Products offered for cats under the Purina ONE brand are Hairball Formula Cat Food, Healthy Kitten Formula, Grain Free Classic Chicken Wet Cat Food Recipe, and Grain Free Ocean Whitefish Wet Cat Food Recipe. In 2014, Purina introduced the personalised dog food line Just Right, providing customised dog food by combining pet owners’ knowledge of their dog with the company’s nutritional expertise.

Marketing commentary on Nestlé Purina

Nestlé Purina is a subsidiary of Swiss multinational food and drinks processing conglomerate Nestlé.

Headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, Purina operates more than 20 factories in the US. The company employs 360 people in Clinton and approximately 7,500 across its US operations. The Clinton facility conducted 61 test runs and 27 new product launches in 2018.

The company invested more than $500m in its US factories to support their growth and expansion.

Nestlé Purina’s R&D team in the US constitutes more than 500 scientists, including behaviourists, veterinarians, and nutritionists.