Nestlé Purina PetCare opens its US$450m+ pet food facility

Nestlé Purina PetCare (Purina) unveiled its 1.3 million square foot (120,773 m²) pet food factory in Eden, North Carolina on 26 March 2024. The grand opening was the culmination of more than three years of work to bring the more than US$450 million operation to life and establish the first Nestlé manufacturing facility in the state.

“Demand for our products continues to grow and opening this new facility — our first manufacturing operation in North Carolina — allows us to better serve our consumers, particularly in the eastern and south-eastern parts of the country,” Purina Chief Executive Officer Nina Leigh Krueger said. “Our new factory in Eden is a huge step to continue meeting that growing demand, and the latest example of the continued investment being made across our US manufacturing network.”

The Purina facility in Eden — which repurposed 80% of a former brewery’s existing structure — features several modern technologies which transform and enhance the overall production process, including the first-ever vertical dryer installed in a Purina US factory as well as automated systems in warehousing and the freezer space. The facility also features a Manufacturing Experience Center, which is designed to introduce modern manufacturing to the next generation of workforce.

The site will operate as a zero-waste-for-disposal facility. Across its manufacturing network, Purina is working to conserve water and achieve 100% renewable electricity at its factories by 2025.

“We have been looking forward to this day for a very long time and are so grateful for the contributions of so many incredible associates who’ve been working hard to bring this factory to life,” said Will Steiner, factory manager of the new Purina factory in Eden. “So much amazing collaboration has gone into this project, but what’s most exciting is we can now really get to work and produce many of our pet food brands that pets love and owners trust. We have a great team in place to bring Purina’s quality and safety standards to life in Eden.”

Between 2020 and 2025, Nestlé is on track to invest $2 billion in Purina’s factory and capital expansion projects to enhance its manufacturing footprint. A 24th factory is currently under construction in Williamsburg Township, Ohio, and is expected to be fully operational in the next 12 months.

Image credit: Nestlé Purina PetCare