US – Wholestone Farms, a farmer-owned pork producer, has announced plans to build a new pork harvest and processing facility in South Dakota, United States.

According to Wholestone Farms, the project will cost about US$500 million and will initially see the employment of more than 1,100 people.

Wholestone Farms and its farmer-owners have a strong culture of corporate citizenship and with many of our members currently living and doing business in the area, we look forward to being a preferred employer and impactful participant in the Sioux Falls community,” said Luke Minion, chairman of the board of Wholestone Farms.

Wholestone’s investment comes at a time when the pork market is experiencing significant growth mainly driven by an exponential increase in the human population.

According to recent data from Allied Market Research, the global pork meat market size was valued at US$236 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $257 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 3.9% from 2021 to 2027.

The frozen segment was the highest contributor to the pork meat market in 2019, and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific, by virtue of its high population, was the highest revenue contributor, accounting for more than half of the global market share in 2019, and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% through the forecast period. 

With the new facility, Wholestone Farms will be better positioned to take advantage of the expanding hog market, in and outside the United States.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s new facility in Kansas

Meanwhile, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a division of the Colgate-Palmolive Company, is planning to invest more than US$250 million to build a new factory in their home state of Kansas to help meet the growing demand for their pet nutrition products.

The new state-of-the-art facility will be built on 80 acres in Tonganoxie Business Park in Leavenworth County.

Hills Pet Nutrition said the new, innovative factory will feature the latest manufacturing technology and incorporate the highest quality and food safety standards.

Additionally, the facility design will put sustainability at the forefront, in line with the company’s commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint, replenishing natural resources and leading the industry in more ethical, responsible practices.

Once all approvals are granted, Hills anticipates construction to begin later this year and be completed by 2023.  

At least 80 people will be employed at the facility by  2025, according to the pet nutrition company.

“Hill’s Pet Nutrition is excited to be growing our roots in Kansas. We’ve been part of the community for almost 80 years and this new facility will help us to meet our mission of enriching and lengthening the special relationships between people and their pets by providing our high-quality nutrition,” said Jesper Nordengaard, President of Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

The Tonganoxie plant will join four other Hill’s manufacturing sites in the United States, including facilities in Emporia and Topeka in Kansas.

Topeka is also home to Hill’s global headquarters and its Pet Nutrition Center — recently expanded to include a new Small Paws facility to develop products for small dog breeds.

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