C&D Foods will today announce the opening of a new state of the art pet food pouch manufacturing facility in Edgeworthstown.

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.

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The project has been supported financially by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland. Commenting on the new facility, Phillip Reynolds, CEO of C&D Foods, said: “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,” he added.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD said: “At the heart of our Action Plan for Jobs is creating a powerful engine of Irish business, alongside the strong multinational sector we have built up. We have put in place a range of measures over recent years to support Irish companies, and businesses in sectors like technology and manufacturing are now powering ahead and creating jobs right across the country. Today’s announcement by C&D Foods is a great example – here is an established family-owned manufacturing company, investing in innovation, growing its exports, and creating jobs in a regional location. I am delighted that my Department through Enterprise Ireland could support this project, and I wish Philip and his team every success”.

Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland added: “We have been working with C&D Foods since 1967 and are proud to be associated with this European Centre of Excellence in Petfood. This expansion will create in Edgeworthstown, the largest, most modern and efficient Pouch Petfood production facility in Europe. Flexible Pouch Technology is now the dominant format in single-serve petfood packaging and offers convenience and state of the art pet nutrition to buyers of petfood all over Europe.  I congratulate the management and staff of C&D Foods and wish them every success in building greater market share all over the world”

C&D Foods is the second largest Private Label pet-food company in Europe with sales in excess of €300m p.a. The company employs over 1,000 people across its manufacturing sites in 6 countries including Ireland, UK, The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, & 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.