Cambrian Pet Foods is investing £1.4million in an expansion project with support from the Welsh Government’s Economic Growth Fund that will create twenty two new jobs.
The Carmarthenshire company, which operates from sites in Llangadog and Pencader, is installing a new hi-tech production line to launch new niche premium pet food products targeting the UK and overseas markets.
The new range of cat and dog foods will be cooked in and served on sealed trays and enable the company to tap into the rapidly growing market for premium ‘humanised’ pet food in convenience packaging.
Cambrian Pet Foods manufactures its own brand under the Gelert Pet Nutrition label and also packages branded lines for the multiples, independents and pet specialists.
It produces well over 400 cans per minute of canned food and 6 tons of dry pet food an hour. The new production line – due to be operational in the new year – will produce over 100 packed trays a minute.
The company has been offered £500,000 support through the Economic Growth Fund and Business Minister Edwina Hart said she was pleased to hear how the Fund is playing a key role in supporting business growth.
The Minister added: “The Fund has proved to be a great help for businesses throughout Wales, supporting investment plans and creating new jobs. In many case, like Cambrian Pet Foods, the funding can act as a catalyst helping to get important projects off the ground quickly.”
Cambrian Pet Food Director Richard Davies said the company had been considering introducing this new range for some time and added: “Funding support helped to bring it to fruition and was vital to enable us to go ahead with this investment.
“We operate in an increasingly competitive international market and as a small company we have to remain nimble and react to customer demands and trends.
“Cambrian Pet Foods specialises in premium and super premium products as well as niche products and in the New Year will launch new comprehensive ranges of more value added and innovatively formulated and packaged super-premium dry pet foods to complement the tray offering.
“It means we can offer our customers greater variety and operate a one stop shop to meet all their needs.
“Marketing activities for the new products are well underway and we have identified a real demand from the UK and overseas and aim to launch them in early 2013.”
Cambrian Pet Foods, a family run firm employs 85 people, and sells its products throughout the UK and exports to Western Europe and further afield.