On Feb. 12, Fort Dodge, Iowa, USA’s city council committed US$1.6 million to expand Nestle Purina PetCare’s canned cat food production facility in the city and one of several pet food plants in Iowa, reported local media outlet The Messenger. The city will disperse the funds over 10 years to support Purina as the company applies for state assistance. Purina’s application is scheduled to come before the Iowa Economic Development Authority on Friday. Purina’s proposed expansion to the cat food plant would involve a US$200 million investment. The expansion may create 50 jobs, according to a report from the city’s community and economic development manager. Fort Dodge leaders plan to get the US$1.6 million by reinvesting increased property tax revenue from a designated area, a process known as tax increment financing.
Other Nestle plant expansions in Iowa
The Fort Dodge cat food facility expansion isn’t Purina’s first investment in Iowa. In March 2020, Nestlè Purina PetCare announced plans to expand their pet food production facility in Clinton, Iowa, USA by increasing the size of its finished product warehouse. The Purina pet food factory expansion allowed for augmented production and installation of additional manufacturing equipment. Purina started manufacturing operation in Clinton in 1969.
Later that year, in October of 2022, Nestlé announced a US$550 million investment to build a new factory in Williamsburg Township, Ohio. The Williamsburg Township location joined Purina's network of at least 21 existing manufacturing locations across the United States and was the company's first new factory built from the ground up since 1975.
About Nestle Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare remains a top player in the global pet care industry, according to Petfood Industry’s top companies database. The company reported strong organic growth in its pet care products in 2022. Long a leader in the U.S. market, Nestlé Purina also operates pet food factories in 19 countries. Purina’s annual revenue in 2022 was US$19,385,000,000. Nestlé Purina claims three headquarters globally: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, for its North American and Latin American operations; Lausanne, Switzerland, in Europe; and Sydney, Australia, covering Asia, Oceania and Africa. Its parent company, Nestlé's world headquarters, is in Vevey, Switzerland.
