Purina (animal food) has announced an industrial transformation plan worth over 50 million euros for the Portogruaro plant, in the province of Venice. The expenditure will accompany the development of the factory until 2029 and includes two main interventions: the strengthening of the lines for the production of dry foods super premium for dogs and cats and the construction of an internal wastewater treatment plant, the Waste Water Treatment Plant.
The announcement coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Veneto site, founded in 1986. The structure produces brands such as Purina Pro Plan and Purina One, dedicated to both large-scale distribution and specialized channels such as pet shops and veterinary clinics. The plan includes a series of progressive interventions linked to the digitalisation and innovation of processes, maintaining “the operational continuity of the plant unchanged”, we read in a note from the last few hours.
The synergy with Mantua
The interventions in Portogruaro are linked to the recent opening of the new production hub in Mantua. The two sites will work in a complementary way: the Venice plant will maintain specialization in the production of dry food and specialist products such as the Pro Plan and Purina One lines, while the Mantua facility will be dedicated to the production of wet foods and integrated with the logistics hub of the Nestlé group.
“We continue to invest”
“We continue to invest to support the growth of petcare in Europe,” explained the CEO of Purina Italia, Fabio Degli Esposti, underlining the central role of Italy in the group’s production network. For the plant director, Filippo Cesari, the interventions will improve “flexibility and efficiency while maintaining production continuity”. The mayor of Portogruaro, Luigi Toffolo, welcomed the investment, defining it as “a sign of attractiveness for the industrial area” and an important step “for the employment stability of the area”.
A growing sector
Nestlé Purina PetCare represents one of the fastest growing divisions of the Nestlé group (at a time of strong global changes and difficulties). On a global level, the petcare division generates revenues in excess of 18 billion Swiss francs (19 billion euros), while in Italy the commercial branch (Nestlé Purina Commerciale srl) recorded a turnover of over 447 million euros in 2025, with an increase of 4.2% compared to the previous year and a net profit of 9.3 million (+8.2% compared to ’24). The overall commitment in the country is also confirmed by the recent 520 million Swiss francs (around 560 million euros) earmarked for the construction of the new Mantua plant.