United Petfood and KIKA expand production in Eastern Europe
New plants in Poland and Lithuania are set to increase capacity and market reach. GlobalPETS has the details.
United Petfood and KIKA Group are strengthening their European presence with the opening of new production facilities near Warsaw, Poland, and Vilnius, Lithuania.
United Petfood
Belgian pet food manufacturer United Petfood has opened a new pouch factory in the Polish city of Jedlińsk, 90 km south of Warsaw.
The new facility, which received an investment of €50 million ($58.4M), will produce wet food in pouches for dogs and cats.
“The new site significantly expands our production capacity with 2 new high-capacity pouch lines,” the company tells GlobalPETS, “and enables us to meet the fast-growing demand for wet pet food across Europe.”
The new plant, launched as part of the company’s “multi-local production model” to optimize logistics, is equipped with state-of-the-art cooking, filling, and packaging lines, advanced automation and strict quality control systems.
GlobalPETS learned that the facility is capable of exporting worldwide, including to the United States and Asia. “By expanding in Poland, we secure additional capacity, shorten supply chains and further enhance our reliability toward customers across the continent.”
The site is situated adjacent to a poultry processing facility and utilizes water reuse technologies and optimized waste management, with the capability to support trials involving alternative proteins.
Founded in 1994, United Petfood is a private label producer of dry and wet pet food and treats exporting to over 100 countries.
Kika Group
Lithuanian pet food company Kika Group has completed construction of a second plant for its production arm, Akvatera W, in Kaunas, about 102 km from Vilnius.
The 7,200 sq. m. plant, constructed in under 10 months, features one production line with the potential to expand to three lines in the future. The total value of the project is €20.5 million ($23.9M), according to the company.
Akvatera W manufactures dry extruded dog and cat food, as well as feed and treats for rodents and birds. The products will be exported to 65 countries worldwide.
According to the company, the new plant will enable KIKA to meet the increasing demand in both local and international markets.
“This project is not only an important strategic step for us, but also […] proof that Lithuanian industry can create high added value on an international scale,” says Tauras Plungė, co-owner of the factory.
Europe remains the largest market for KIKA, led by the Czech Republic, Finland, Poland, Ukraine and Italy, while exports are expanding fastest in Asia, particularly Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia and Taiwan.
The company has recently focused on expanding into Latin America and just announced the launch of its brands in Peru.
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