HARTWELL, GA. — Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. has unveiled plans to invest $550 million to expand its pet food manufacturing facility in Hartwell, located in Northeast Georgia. The expansion, which is expected to create up to 130 jobs, comes just one year after the factory opened in November 2019.
By expanding the facility, Purina will add more processing, packaging and warehousing capacity. The expansion is also part of a broader growth plan for Purina, which includes new factories recently announced in Williamsburg Township, Ohio, and Eden, N.C.
Purina brands feed 49 million dogs and 66 million cats each year, according to the company. The Hartwell location produces several of the company’s flagship brands, including Fancy Feast.
When Purina first announced plans for the Hartwell facility in 2017, it committed to investing $320 million and employing 240 people. Purina will now combine $320 million of refinanced bonds to a new $550 million investment, according to local paper The Hartwell Sun. Purina now expects to employ up to 370 people by the end of 2025, and the new jobs in Hartwell will include positions in manufacturing and assembly.
Purina expects to complete construction of the expansion by the end of 2021. Currently, the facility spans 600,000 square feet, and the expansion will add an additional 560,000 square feet. Alberici is the construction partner.
“Nestlé Purina has become an important corporate citizen in Hart County, providing significant job opportunities and investment in our community,” says Joey Dorsey, Hart County Commission chair.
Founded in 1894, St. Louis-based Purina is now part of Nestlé, a Switzerland-based nutrition, health and wellness company.
— Kristin Hiller