NASHVILLE, TENN. — Royal Canin, a pet food producer owned by Mars, Inc., announced March 16 it will invest $200 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Lebanon, Tenn., creating more than 90 jobs in the area. The expansion will add 108,000 square feet to the existing plant.

The new production space will house five additional, highly automated production lines, effectively doubling the capacity of the current facility. The expansion began in 2019 and is expected to wrap up in 2022.

The company produces Royal Canin and Eukanuba branded dog and cat food products in Lebanon. The expansion will help Royal Canin meet increased demand for function-focused pet nutrition seen before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our commitment at Royal Canin is to transform the health of cats and dogs through individualized nutrition, in partnership with pet professionals,” said Cecile Coutens, regional president at Royal Canin. “We have experienced tremendous growth, and the expansion at our Tennessee site confirms our commitment to meet the needs of the growing number of pets we serve. We are industry leaders in pet health, and we have a responsibility to our pets, our pet owners, our associates and the pet professionals and communities we serve. We are beyond excited about our investment in our Lebanon site."

The project is supported by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), and several government and community leaders have voiced their support.

“We are incredibly proud that Tennessee is home to Mars Petcare's headquarters and pleased to see its brands grow and find success in our state,” said Bob Rolfe, commissioner of TNECD. “Expansions like this are supported by Tennessee's pro-business environment and skilled workforce, and we thank Royal Canin for its continued investment in Wilson County."

Read more about pet food and treat processing on our Operations page.