Mars Petcare invests US $100 million in Mexico
US-based company Mars Petcare has announced an investment of US $100 million (about 2,100 million pesos) to expand its moist pet food plant in El Márques Querétaro, Mexico. The aim is to double production capacity to 70,000 tonnes/year for the Pedigree, Whiskas, Cesar and Sheba brands, equivalent to 55 million pouches/month.
The project is due to be completed by the third quarter of 2023 and will bring an expansion of 7,000 square metres. The facility will also comply with the brand’s sustainable policies by adopting energy-efficient cutting-edge pouch-filling technologies, rainwater harvesting systems and the use of wind energy.
The growth in pet food consumption recorded in Mexico in 2020 (up 8% to 1.2 million tonnes) continued in 2021 with sales estimated at US $2.4 billion. According to Euromonitor International, sales will exceed US $3 billion by 2026, an increase of 27.2%.
The company, whose brands also include Eukanoba and Royal Canin, expects its expansion project in Mexico (its fourth largest market) to generate 600 new jobs.
