Nestlé is investing more than £150 million to upgrade its Nestlé Purina PetCare factory in Wisbech.
The Cambridgeshire factory is home to some of the UK’s favourite pet food brands including Felix, Gourmet and Winalot and the multi-million-pound upgrade works are already underway with completion expected in early 2025.
The series of developments funded by the investment includes upgrading existing production lines with modern technology and machinery, a re-vamp of facilities for the factory’s 600 workers and initiatives to improve energy efficiency and to help reduce carbon emissions over the coming years.
The investment means the factory has been able to recruit 40 new skilled roles, focussed on optimising and maintaining the new technology being introduced as part of the upgrades. Nestlé Purina is also investing in skills training for existing employees as part of the programme.
Richard Watson, CEO of Nestlé UK & Ireland, said: “We are very proud of our British manufacturing network with around 3,500 people employed in factory-based roles across the UK.
“This investment reflects the great work being done by our teams to position the UK as a market with significant manufacturing expertise and capability and where targeted investment, like the upgrades at Wisbech, can contribute to the growth of our business here and around the world.”
Jez McInerney, Nestlé Purina’s Wisbech Factory Manager, said: “Purina is committed to creating top quality nutrition for the nation’s pets – but it’s certainly not all we do. We work tirelessly to do more of what matters beyond the bowl as well, for pets, for the people who love them and the planet. None of this would be possible without the fantastic work of the project team and everyone who’s based here in Wisbech.
“We’re delighted to have secured this large-scale investment, to ensure our site is best-in-class and fit for a bright future.”
Nestlé UK and Ireland has invested more than £650m in its UK factories over the past decade, including recent upgrades in York, Halifax and Buxton.
