Nestlé Purina is expanding global pet food manufacturing capacity with major investments in Ohio, Italy, Brazil, and Thailand to support strong organic growth of 2.8% in the second quarter, driven by continued strength in cat food and improved dog food performance.
- Purina achieved 2.8% organic growth in Q2 2026, with cat food showing continued strength and dog food improving during the quarter
- Purina opened a $550 million factory in Batavia, Ohio in August 2026, the first U.S. plant built from scratch since 1975, creating over 430 jobs
- Nestlé announced CHF 520 million investment in an integrated pet food factory in Mantova, Italy, expected to begin operations in 2029
- Recent expansions include a BRL 2.5 billion facility in Brazil and over CHF 157 million investment in Thailand to expand manufacturing capacity
- U.S. retailer inventory reductions temporarily impacted reported growth, but underlying consumer purchasing trends in cat and dog food continued to strengthen
Nestlé Purina PetCare executives at the 2026 Barclays Global Consumer Conference spoke of improving pet food volume growth, continued strength in cat food and an expanding global manufacturing network.
Nestlé Chief Financial Officer Anna Manz participated in a fireside chat at the conference Sept. 8, according to Nestlé’s official Barclays Global Consumer Conference page.
The conference appearance follows an improvement in Nestlé’s pet care business during the second quarter. According to the company’s 2026 half-year results, PetCare organic growth reached 2.8% during the quarter, including 2% real internal growth and 0.8% pricing. Both cat and dog food contributed to growth, led by Purina Pro Plan, Purina ONE and Felix.
For the first half of 2026, Nestlé reported PetCare organic growth of 2.7%, driven by continued strength in cat food and an improvement in dog food during the second quarter. PetCare generated CHF 4.538 billion in second-quarter sales, compared with CHF 4.525 billion during the same period of 2025.
U.S. inventory reductions weigh on reported growth
Nestlé said PetCare growth in the Americas was held back by retailer inventory reductions in the U.S. during the second quarter. At the same time, the company reported strengthening consumer sellout trends in both cat and dog food. The inventory reductions affected reported growth even as consumer purchasing trends improved, according to Nestlé’s half-year reporting.
Nestlé has also identified cat food as a source of strength within the broader PetCare business. The company reported that first-half pet care growth was driven by continued strength in cat food, while dog food performance improved in the second quarter.
Purina adds manufacturing capacity
Recent Purina investments provide additional context for Nestlé’s emphasis on pet care growth.
On Aug. 31, Purina officially opened a new pet food factory in Batavia, Ohio, following an investment of more than $550 million. The 1.3 million-square-foot facility is Purina’s first U.S. factory built from the ground up since 1975 and represents Nestlé’s largest investment in a Purina manufacturing facility to date, according to the Nestlé Purina announcement. The plant produces Purina Pro Plan, Purina ONE and Dog Chow.
PetfoodIndustry.com covered the opening in “Purina opens new $550 million factory in Ohio,” reporting that the facility currently employs more than 430 people and is expected to employ more than 500 when fully operational.
Capacity expansion is also underway outside North America. In July, Nestlé announced a CHF 520 million investment in an integrated pet food factory and logistics platform in Mantova, Italy. The facility is expected to begin operating in 2029 and produce superpremium wet pet food for cats and dogs. Nestlé said the project is intended to help meet growing European pet food demand and strengthen its manufacturing and logistics network.
PetfoodIndustry.com reported on the project in “Nestlé Purina plans CHF 520 million plant in Italy.”
Earlier this year, Purina opened another wet pet food factory in Vargeão, Brazil. Nestlé invested BRL 2.5 billion, equivalent to CHF 370 million, in the operation, which the company said will nearly double its wet pet food production capacity in Brazil when fully operational. The plant will serve both the Brazilian market and export demand.
PetfoodIndustry.com examined the investment in “Purina expands wet pet food production in Brazil with new plant.”
The investment activity continued the same week as the Barclays conference. On Sept. 9, Nestlé announced it would invest more than CHF 157 million to expand pet food manufacturing capacity in Thailand for Purina brands.
Together, Nestlé’s latest financial results and Purina’s manufacturing investments point to a pet food strategy centered on supporting volume growth and expanding production capacity in major markets.
