Nestle Purina’s Pet Food Manufacturing Factory, North Carolina

Nestle Purina Petcare announced the development of a new pet food manufacturing facility in the City of Eden in North Carolina, US, to meet the growing demand for its pet foods, in September 2020.

The Eden factory will produce for dry dog and cat food brands that include Purina Pro Plan, Purina ONE and Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets.

The new pet food factory, which will join the company’s existing 21 manufacturing locations present across the US, will be developed with an estimated investment of $450m.

The factory is part of the company’s broader growth plan that commenced in 2019 with the opening of a wet pet food factory and distribution centre in Hartwell, Georgia, US.

The new facility is expected to commence operations in 2022.

Nestle Purina PetCare factory location and details

The facility will be located in more than 1,300 acres of land located in Eden, Rockingham County, along the North Carolina and Virginia border.

The company will renovate the existing infrastructure of a closed brewery at the site to develop the new facility in an area of approximately 1.3 million squared feet.

Benefits of the new pet food factory in Eden

The factory will create employment for more than 300 people by 2024, including professional staff, production operators, technical staff, and engineers. It will also increase third party employment, as well as local and regional economic development.

The facility will boost the long-term growth of the company’s pet care brands. The operations at the new factory will be designed with various sustainable features, including zero waste for disposal, and production processes with heat and water recovery and reuse features.

Nestle Purina aims to power the facility completely by renewable electricity. The sustainable features will support the company’s ambition of zero environmental impact from operations by 2030.

Nestle Purina’s product portfolio

Nestle Purina has been producing high-quality pet food brands for more than 90 years. It offers a wide range of dog food products, exclusively formulated to suit a dog’s unique requirements, including those of puppy, adult or senior dogs. Some of the dog food brands offered by the company include Purina^® Pro Plan^® Dog Food, Beyond^® Natural Dog Food, and Purina ONE^® Dog Food.

The first personalised dog food line Just Right was launched in 2014, which allows pet owners to create customised dog food.

The cat food is available for different categories, including kitten food, senior cat food, wet cat food, healthy weight food, and cat treats. The company markets its products under multiple brands for balanced cat food such as Beyond, Breeze, Deli-Cat, DentaLife, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Muse, Purina Cat Chow, and Scamp.

Marketing commentary on Nestle Purina

Nestle Purina, a US-based pet food manufacturer, is a subsidiary of Nestle, a multi-national food and drinks processing conglomerate based in Switzerland.

Nestle Purina Petcare was formed with the acquisition of Ralston Purina in December 2001. The pet products generated by the company feed 49 million dogs and 66 million cats a year. The company employs more than 8,000 people in the US.

The company developed Purina Veterinary Diets JM-Joint Mobility Canine Formula by applying molecular-level nutrition for dogs suffering from arthritis in 2004.

In 2010, the 84,000ft² state-of-the-art Purina Event Centre was opened, featuring more than 150 dog grooming stations with padded flooring for safety and comfort.

In August 2020, the company reached the 2020 goal of achieving zero waste for disposal across all 21 manufacturing operations and St Louis corporate headquarters. Nestle Purina received the Ducks Unlimited Corporate Conservation Achievement Award at the virtual Ducks Unlimited National Convention in 2020.