Nestlé today inaugurated a state-of-the-art pet food factory in Teno, Chile. The factory will produce high-quality pet food for dogs and cats, meeting growing demand from pet owners in Chile.
With an investment of USD 120 million (CHF 117 million), the factory is amongst the most modern in the world, ensuring the highest standards of quality and food safety.
The new site will directly employ 154 people, more than 70% of whom come from neighboring areas and 40% of whom are less than 30 years of age.
Laurent Freixe, Executive Vice President of Nestlé in the Americas, said: "We are proud of the accomplishment of this important project. Nestlé sees great potential in Chile, and this is why we will now locally produce pet food that we had previously imported. We know that the country has the supply, the labour force and the technology to drive innovation in the region."
The plant will produce 65,000 tons of pet food. It will produce dry food under brands such as Dog Chow, Cat Chow, Doko, Gati and Purina Excellent, for local consumption and export markets in Latin America.
The facility also meets high environmental standards. No waste goes to landfill, a natural gas boiler reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 23%, and 100% of energy comes from non-conventional renewable sources.
For more information, read the press release.