FDBusiness.com

C&D Foods has opened a new state-of-the-art pet food pouch manufacturing facility at Edgeworthstown in Ireland. The new facility, an extension to the plant that was built in 2007 following a major fire, will produce pet food pouches for many of Europe’s leading own label brands. It will be the biggest of its kind in Europe and represents an investment in excess of €15 million.

C&D has invested over €55 million in Edgeworthstown since 2007. The opening will result in 70 new jobs over the next three years, for which hiring has commenced. The project has been supported financially by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland.

Phillip Reynolds, chief executive of C&D Foods, comments: “This announcement following so soon off the back of our €40 million investment in 2007 increases our capacity to supply our wider European customer base following our acquisition of Arovit A/S in 2012. It is further evidence of the success and strength of our Edgeworthstown facility and its significance as part of our European manufacturing footprint.”

C&D Foods is the second largest private label pet food company in Europe with sales in excess of €300 million per annum. The company employs over 1,000 people across its manufacturing sites in six countries including Ireland, the UK, The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, and Denmark. The company also has sales offices in Germany and Italy. In Ireland C&D Foods has a manufacturing site in Edgeworthstown with an administrative head office located in Mullingar.

C&D Foods is part of ABP Food Group, one of Europe’s largest food processing companies. As part of ABP Food Group, C&D received triple certification from the Carbon Trust for water, carbon and waste reduction initiatives. The Carbon Trust is a leading authority on monitoring the efforts of companies and governments to reduce their environmental impact.