To Pet Food Manufacturers, Ohio is a Land of Plenty

Proximity to Ohio’s crops helps pet food companies meet the growing needs of pet owners, providing customers with the best quality ingredients.

Ohio is a land of plenty, abundant with natural resources and a supply chain that provides fresh, quality food. Ohio not only feeds people, but it feeds pets too. That’s why industry leaders repeatedly choose Ohio to grow their businesses and keep up with demand. In fact, the state supports four of the top five pet food manufacturers in the U.S.

With many people looking for companionship during the pandemic, an increase in pet adoptions boosted pet food sales in 2021 and 2022. Sales are expected to soar to new levels in 2023. With deep roots in agriculture, Ohio is ready to meet the demand.

For hundreds of years, nourishment has been Ohio’s legacy. Generations of hardworking farmers have tilled Ohio’s soil, producing a wide range of nutrient-rich crops to choose from like corn, soybeans, dairy, wheat, and eggs, making up American meals and contributing to a successful agribusiness. Ohio corn, the most common ingredient in pet food, is 15% cheaper than the national average in price per bushel.

As Americans turn toward healthier lifestyle trends, their pets are reaping the benefits too, and pet owners are willing to spend more on fresh, premium ingredients for their animals. Our state’s central location and access to the U.S. supply chain allows our freshest ingredients to be transported to much of the country, and Ohio’s 77,000+ farms are eager to work with manufacturers to provide quality products. We are home to several global research and development centers for pet food, and Ohio’s food industry as a whole performs 43% more R&D than the national average. The industry also hires more high-skill workers to advance the sector.

Not only is farming our history, it’s our future.

Nestlé employs over 3,300 people across the state, but with an increasing demand for its Purina brand, the company is bringing hundreds more to the southwest region with a new $550 million facility in Williamsburg Township. The 1.2 million-square-foot factory will be Nestlé’s first building built from the ground up since the 1970s. It’s expected to be operational in 2023. With the help of JobsOhio and REDI Cincinnati, Nestlé will bring 300 jobs to the region. The facility will produce a wide variety of its leading dog and cat brands like Purina Pro Plan, Dog Chow, and Fancy Feast.

A global leader in pet health nutrition, Royal Canin, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., is investing $390 million to build a 450,000-square-foot factory in Lewisburg. The new building will be on the same property as its current Pet Health Nutrition R&D operations. The factory will manufacture Royal Canin and EUKANUBA health and nutrition products for both dogs and cats.

The company sought to establish additional capacity for dry food production and needed a strategic location close to its customers as well as proximity to raw material sources. Ohio’s central location and multiple transportation options offer efficient, cost-effective ways to obtain raw materials, produce goods, and deliver pet food to the market.

These new pet food facilities and their proximity to fresh Ohio ingredients will help Purina and Royal Canin meet the growing needs of pets and pet owners, providing customers with the best quality meats, grains, and vegetables. It’s no wonder so many pet food companies (and pet lovers) call Ohio home. Discover what opportunities and strategies exist for your company. Email Tim Derickson, Senior Director, Food & Agribusiness today.