Special Dog Company is accelerating its national expansion with a new manufacturing facility under construction in Mateus Leme, Minas Gerais — and the investment behind it reflects the company's confidence in the southeast market.
The plant, located in the Azurita district, is 45% complete, with civil works and initial equipment installation progressing. Commissioning — the phase covering production system testing and automation validation — is set to begin in May 2026, with full operations expected in the second half of the year.
At full capacity, the facility will produce 10,000 metric tons of dry pet food per month. Total investment stands at R$300 million (US$57 million).
Beyond dry food, the plant includes a dedicated snack and treat production area equipped with extrusion and molding technologies for different textures, from semi-moist biscuits to functional formulations. High-precision dosing and weighing systems will allow controlled inclusion of sensitive ingredients and active compounds in micro-doses, enabling batch-level standardization and traceability.
Company officials said the infrastructure will allow the unit to produce a range of snacks and treats across different formulation profiles while maintaining nutritional and sensory integrity throughout the manufacturing process.
The Azurita location places the company closer to key consumption markets in Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Espírito Santo, reducing logistics costs and improving distribution response times. The facility also positions the company for export growth — Special Dog currently reaches more than 38,000 points of sale across nine Brazilian states and the Federal District and already exports to markets in South America, Central America, North America, Africa and Asia.
Founded in 2001 in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, Special Dog has built its distribution network through four centers in Extrema, Uberaba, Curitiba and Cuiabá. The Mateus Leme plant adds a fifth node — and a clear signal that mid-tier Brazilian manufacturers are no longer playing a regional game.
