Nestlé Purina invests £150 million for UK factory upgrade

Nestlé is investing over £150 million (US$167 million) to modernize its Nestlé Purina PetCare factory in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, where UK pet food brands like Felix, Gourmet and Winalot are produced.

The upgrade, already underway and set to finish by early 2025, includes new technology and machinery for production lines, improved facilities for the factory’s 600 workers, and initiatives to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

According to the company, pet care is a strong growth category for Nestlé, and in 2023 accounted for around 20% of total sales for the group, up from around 12% a decade ago. The company has recently announced a number of significant investments in pet care sites, including facilities in the U.S., Brazil and Hungary.

As part of the investment, the factory has hired 40 new skilled workers to manage the upgraded technology, while existing staff will receive skills training to support the transition.

“This investment reflects the great work being done by our teams to position the UK as a market with significant manufacturing expertise and capability and where targeted investment, like the upgrades at Wisbech, can contribute to the growth of our business here and around the world,” said Richard Watson, CEO of Nestlé UK & Ireland. Watson noted the company’s British manufacturing network includes 3,500 people employed in factory-based roles across the UK.

Jez McInerney, Nestlé Purina’s Wisbech factory manager, said the company does more than create quality nutrition for the nation’s pets. “We work tirelessly to do more of what matters beyond the bowl as well, for pets, for the people who love them and the planet,” said McInerney. “None of this would be possible without the fantastic work of the project team and everyone who’s based here in Wisbech. We’re delighted to have secured this large-scale investment, to ensure our site is best-in-class and fit for a bright future.”

Nestlé UK and Ireland has invested more than £650 million (US$865 million) in its UK factories over the past decade, including recent upgrades in York, Halifax and Buxton.

According to Petfood Industry’s Top Pet Food Companies, Nestlé Purina PetCare remains a top player in the global pet care industry. Long a leader in the U.S. market, Nestlé Purina also operates pet food factories in 19 countries. Nestlé Purina claims three headquarters globally: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., 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.

PetFoodIndustry