Purina is investing 50 million at its Portogruaro site

The Purina factory in Portogruaro is celebrating its 40th anniversary and has announced a new phase of development. The plant produces dry food for dogs and cats: four extrusion lines, one for veterinary products, 250 employees (400 in Italia) and over 120 different recipes, with production covering 37 per cent of the Italian market and exported to 30 countries. Between now and 2029, 50 million will be invested.

Over the years, the Veneto site has established itself as a centre of excellence for the production of dog and cat food. The site has strengthened its strategic role thanks to its distinctive expertise in the production of dry pet food, quality control, operational excellence, innovation, environmental sustainability and the industrialisation of new products. Today, Portogruaro is not just a production site, but a hub of expertise that drives innovation and high quality standards, contributing to the evolution of the Purina – Nestlé Group – portfolio and supporting business growth in European markets.

“Our staff also play a leading role in new initiatives,” explains Filippo Cesari, plant manager. “In Thailand, we supported the commissioning of a new production line, and in Turkey a team of technicians is still working on the start-up of a new site.” A role earned through experience: “Over the past forty years, Portogruaro has built up distinctive expertise in the production of dry foods, in quality, innovation and operational excellence.”

The Veneto site is set to undergo further improvements thanks to two new investments that confirm its strategic role within the European production network. The first aims to expand and modernise the factory to meet growing and constantly evolving demand in the super-premium segment; the second, meanwhile, is dedicated to the wastewater treatment plant, which will enable wastewater to be treated directly on site, eliminating the need for it to be transported by lorry to treatment works. These investments form part of the wider industrial development strategy launched by the company in Italia, which also includes the recent announcement of the new Purina production hub in Mantua, confirming the company’s commitment to investing in the dynamic European petcare market.

Fabio Degli Esposti, Managing Director of Purina Italia and Regional Director for Southern Europe, explains: “With Portogruaro and Mantua, Purina is reaffirming a clear commitment: to continue investing to support the growth of the petcare sector in Europe. The new investments announced strengthen a site that has been contributing to the quality and innovation of the Purina portfolio for forty years, consolidating Portogruaro’s specialisation in the super-premium segment and the strategic role in Europe of both Portogruaro and the new factory to be built in Mantua.”