LINCOLN, NEB. — Instinct Pet Food has been named Manufacturer of the Year by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, the same city in which it is planning to build a new manufacturing facility to expand its production, workforce, safety and sustainability.

The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce recognized Instinct as one of 2021’s “most visionary and community-driven businesses,” according to Instinct, and recognized the company for its contributions to the area, which include the frozen and freeze-dried pet food manufacturing facilities it operates in Lincoln.

Plans for a new facility will bolster the company’s commitment to the area.

“Pet parents’ ongoing desire to find the healthiest and most nutritious food for their pets has driven our extreme growth and success,” said Robbie Swanson, director of production, Instinct. “Two years ago, we were a small company producing 10 million pounds of raw food. We’re going to be close to 50-60 million pounds by 2025. We’re proud to have hired 35 new people this year at our facility and expect to hire another 20-30 next year before building our expansion.”

Instinct Pet Food manufactures premium, natural dog and cat foods made with raw and minimally cooked meat, fruits and vegetables to preserve the nutritional values of its formulations. The company’s new plant in Lincoln will be LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] Certified, which is a standard set by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

This expansion will increase production capacity and is expected to roughly double Instinct’s current workforce in Lincoln.

“We are very honored to get this prestigious award,” Swanson said. “Lincoln is our home. It’s been our home for 20 years. When we looked to expand the plant there was no other place we’d rather be than Lincoln, Nebraska.”

Instinct’s existing facilities in the Lincoln area are SQF Certified and uphold strict safety guidelines set by the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act. The company’s use of high-pressure processing (HPP) ensures food safety and nutritional bioavailability.

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