Nestlé Purina commits €55 million to modernise Italian pet food plant for veterinary and super-premium diets

Nestlé Purina has announced a €55 million investment to modernise its pet food production facility in Portogruaro, Italy, as the plant marks its 40th anniversary, according to trade reports. The investment is directed at improving manufacturing capabilities for super-premium and veterinary diets rather than expanding overall annual output.

The Portogruaro site, located approximately 70 kilometres from Venice, currently produces more than 130,000 tonnes of pet food per year. According to reporting by GlobalPetIndustry.com and Pet Food Processing, that capacity figure will remain unchanged under the modernisation plan. The upgrades are instead focused on manufacturing flexibility, digitalisation, and the construction of a new on-site wastewater treatment facility.

Trade coverage described Portogruaro as one of Purina's more advanced European dry pet food plants. The investment is also placed within Purina's broader Italian manufacturing footprint, which includes its Mantova facility, described as a hub for wet pet food and logistics.

Fabio Degli Esposti, chief executive of Purina Italy and regional director for Southern Europe, was quoted in Italian trade coverage framing the two Italian sites as evidence of the company's intent to continue investing to support pet care growth in Europe, according to GlobalPetIndustry.com.

The explicit focus on veterinary diets as a target segment for the upgraded lines is notable for the therapeutic nutrition channel, where formulation control, ingredient handling, and supply continuity are operational priorities. GlobalPetIndustry.com and Pet Food Processing both highlighted the company's stated push toward super-premium and veterinary diet production as central to the announcement.

The decision to build an internal wastewater treatment plant represents an environmental and infrastructure component alongside the production upgrades. The source evidence notes that bringing wastewater management in-house may give Purina greater operational control over a compliance-sensitive dependency at a facility producing specialised diets, though it characterises that as an inference based on the nature of the investment rather than a stated company claim.

No construction timeline, specific brand or product families linked to the upgraded lines, or further detail on capital allocation across individual upgrades was reported in the available trade coverage as of the date of publication.