Nestlé Purina PetCare has announced a CHF 520 million (approximately US$636 million) investment to build a new integrated wet pet food manufacturing plant and logistics hub in Mantua, Italy. The facility, expected to begin operations in 2029, will produce super-premium wet pet food for cats and dogs under Purina’s core brands.
The Mantua investment is the third major Purina factory commitment of 2026, following a $550 million dry food facility in Batavia, Ohio (grand opening this month), and a CHF 370 million wet food plant in Brazil (opened March 2026). The combined commitments total nearly $1.7 billion across three continents, representing the largest single-year manufacturing expansion in Purina’s 130-year history.
“Petcare is one of Nestlé’s four focus businesses, and this investment is a clear signal of our continued growth ambition for the category,” said Rafael Lopez, CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe. “Super-premium wet pet food is particularly attractive right now. It offers a variety of textures and sensory experiences combined with great nutrition for dogs and cats.” The new facility will be Purina’s 15th European production site, serving a pet population of approximately 111 million cats and 91 million dogs across the continent.
The investment is supported by strong category fundamentals: wet cat food grew 8% in Europe in 2025, and the total European pet food market is valued at nearly CHF 30 billion. Petcare now accounts for 29% of Nestlé’s sales in Zone Europe, with continued strong organic growth driven by real internal growth. For contract manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and packaging companies across Europe, the Mantua project creates a multi-year procurement and partnership runway.
