Nestlé is spending more than SFr157m ($194.1m) on “strengthening” Purina pet-food production in Thailand.
The Swiss giant said in a statement that the investment is in response to rising pet-food demand in Thailand and the rest of Asia.
It will be funneled into its manufacturing site in Rayong, which produces pet food and treats under the Felix, Friskies, Pro Plan, and Purina One brands.
The facility supplies the domestic market and international destinations.
A spokesperson for Nestlé confirmed with Just Food that the money will be used to add two new production lines to the existing three, which currently produce pouches and canned pet food for markets in the Asia, Oceania and Africa region.
They are expected to be operational in 2028.
Remy Ejel, CEO of Nestlé’s Asia, Oceania and Africa business, said: “Pet food is one of Nestlé’s most dynamic segments globally, accounting for around 21% of group sales.
“This investment reflects our confidence in its long-term potential across Asia, Oceania and Africa as well as the rest of the world. Thailand is an important part of Purina’s global manufacturing network, and this expansion will enhance our ability to serve more pet owners with superior nutrition.”
More than 350 million domestic cats and dogs live across the Asia, Oceania and Africa region, according to Nestlé Purina Petcare CEO Hubert Wieser.
The company said pet owners are increasingly moving from home-prepared meals to packaged products, particularly in the premium segment.
Nestlé's spokesperson said there were four main reasons for the investment in Rayong: increasing pet ownership, including a shift to cats; households moving from home-cooked pet foods into commercially supplied nutrient foods; premiumisation; and health and wellbeing for people's pets.
In the second quarter, the category delivered high-single-digit organic growth in the Asia, Oceania and Africa zone, driven by real internal growth across developed and emerging markets, Nestlé said in its first-half results in July.
Wet cat food was the main contributor, supported by new product launches in key markets. Petcare accounted for 4% of the zone’s sales in the quarter.
At group level, the category recorded organic growth of 2.8%, led by Pro Plan, Purina One, and Felix.
Nestlé’s recent pet-food investments include a SFr520m plant and logistics platform announced in July in Mantova, Italy, which is due to start operations in 2029.
The Thailand project also forms part of a broader expansion of Nestlé’s manufacturing base in the country.
The company previously announced it was investing SFr563m in a new Nescafé factory and distribution centre in Samut Prakan, with operations due to begin in the second half of 2028.
Nestlé is also expanding a coffee facility in Vietnam’s Dong Nai province through an investment of VND1.9trn ($73m). Last week, it announced a SFr94m infant-formula factory in Brazil.
