META, MO. — Diamond Pet Foods has invested to expand pet food production capacity at two locations in the United States to meet unprecedented demand.

Expansion plans include the acquisition of a private label dog food manufacturing plant in Frontenac, Kan., from The J.M. Smucker Company for roughly $33 million, and a $200 million investment to construct a brand-new facility in Rushville, Ind.

Diamond will build a 700,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Rushville, bringing more than 170 new jobs to the area by 2023. The facility will house cutting-edge production equipment and there will also be space for warehousing and distribution.

“Food safety is our top priority, which is why all our facilities adhere to stringent quality guidelines, have a dedicated quality assurance and safety staff, and follow Good Manufacturing Processes protocols,” said Mark Schell, executive vice president at Diamond Pet Foods.

Diamond will produce dry kibble formulas at this new plant.

“After careful deliberation and following a competitive process, Rushville was chosen for its supportive business climate, availability of development parcels and its highly skilled workforce,” Schell said. “We’re pleased to be considering Rushville as the home of our new facility and are looking forward to adding the city and its citizens to our Diamond family.”

The Frontenac facility will continue producing private label dog food formulas as it had previously done under Smucker’s management. The transition is currently underway, according to the company, and should be finalized within the next six months. Diamond Pet Foods shared there will be no disruption to production or staffing at the Frontenac facility, and the company will retain more than 200 people currently employed there.

“Diamond is happy to become a part of the Frontenac family, and we’re proud to be adding this facility to our portfolio of quality, state-of-the-art and safety-certified facilities,” Schell said. “Consumer demand for pet food is rapidly increasing and we’re growing to meet that demand. We’re excited to be expanding to provide even more families with pet food. From our signature Diamond Pet Foods to our Taste of the Wild brands, we’re taking the next steps to ensure we can provide our customers with the quality pet foods they expect and deserve.”

Diamond Pet Foods was founded in 1970 and continues to operate as a privately held pet food and treat manufacturing company.

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