Purina invests over 50 million euros in Portogruaro for the 40 years of the site

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Portogruaro production site, Purina announces a new phase of development for the site with two major investments.

The first aims to enhance and modernise the site to meet growing and constantly evolving demand in the super-premium segment; the second is dedicated to the wastewater treatment plant. These investments form part of the company’s broader industrial development strategy launched in Italy, which also includes the recent announcement of the new Purina production hub in Mantua, confirming the company’s commitment to investing in the dynamic European pet care market.

The Portogruaro site

Founded in 1986, the Portogruaro site is now one of the most advanced sites in the Purina European network and represents a centre of excellence for the production of food for dogs and cats. The site has strengthened its strategic role through distinctive expertise in the production of dry food, quality control, operational excellence, innovation, environmental sustainability and the industrialisation of new products.

Today Portogruaro is not just a production site, but a hub of expertise that enables innovation and high-quality standards, contributing to the evolution of Purina’s portfolio and supporting business growth in European markets. And although this investment further strengthens production capabilities and the innovation journey, its ultimate goal is to offer increasingly advanced nutritional solutions for companion animals.

The Portogruaro site produces some of Purina’s most representative premium brands, including Purina Pro Plan and Purina One, transforming scientific research, continuous innovation and manufacturing excellence into high-quality products that contribute to pets’ wellbeing.

The investments

To support this evolution, Purina is investing over 50 million euros in a specific transformation programme that will guide the development of the site through to 2029. In line with the growing demand for super-premium products and specialised nutrition, the project involves progressive work across the entire factory, maintaining the site’s production continuity and confirming its strategic role within the European production network. This is where product innovation and industrial capability come together, consolidating Portogruaro’s contribution to the development of the European business.

Alongside production development, Purina continues to invest in the evolution of its industrial processes through the creation of the new Waste Water Treatment Plant, an in-house wastewater treatment facility that will enable the site to manage directly an activity currently entrusted to external plants. Designed to support the site’s future growth, this facility will help optimise wastewater management, reducing transport to external plants and the related environmental impacts, while also bringing benefits in terms of operational efficiency. This initiative confirms Purina’s commitment to making production processes increasingly sustainable and innovative.

The development strategy

The investments announced in Portogruaro form part of the broader industrial development strategy launched by Purina in Italy, which also includes the recent announcement of the new production hub in Mantua. The new site, dedicated to the production of wet food and integrated with a logistics hub (supporting the Nestlé Group), will operate in synergy with the Portogruaro site, which is becoming increasingly specialised in dry food production. Two complementary production hubs that strengthen Purina’s industrial presence in the country and consolidate Italy’s role within the European production network.

Comments

Fabio Degli Esposti, CEO of Purina Italy and Regional Director Southern Europe, states: "With Portogruaro and Mantua, Purina is confirming a clear choice: to continue investing to support the growth of pet care in Europe. The new investments announced today strengthen a site that has contributed to the quality and innovation of Purina’s portfolio for forty years, consolidating Portogruaro’s specialisation in the super-premium segment and the strategic role of Portogruaro and the new factory to be built in Mantua European production network".

Filippo Cesari, director of the Purina Portogruaro site, adds: "For our site, this anniversary represents a significant milestone and a starting point for a new phase of development. Over these forty years, Portogruaro has built distinctive expertise in the production of dry food, quality, innovation and operational excellence. The changes initiated will improve the flexibility, efficiency and sustainability of production processes. This journey has been made possible by the daily contribution of the people working at the site, a true wealth of expertise and passion".

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.