A Canadian pet food company said Thursday that it would spend $85 million to expand its manufacturing plant in Nashville, slightly more than a year after it began production at the facility.
The Crump Group said the expansion would allow it to expand its ability to produce dog treats for major retailers across North America, including Costco, PetSmart, Pet Valu, Walmart, Loblaws, Publix and Target.
Crump originally acquired the facility in 2021, and it spend more than $40 million to procure the property, manufacturing facility, and equipment. A company spokesman said that the latest expansion will add approximately 80,000 square feet and is expected to be completed by Jan. 30, 2025.
“With heightened customer demand, we stand poised to aggressively expand our operations while maintaining unmatched value to our customers,” said Margot Crump, co-founder and CEO of The Crump Group, in a statement.
Andy Hagy, economic development director for Nash County, says the number of jobs being added would be announced at a later date. “The county is very excited to see one of our local companies expand within three years of their announcement coming to Nash County,” he says.
Crump’s premium dog treats are sold under the names Caledon Farms, Crumps’ Naturals and Dog Delights. It also produces private label brands. Most of its products use sweet potato as the primary ingredient.
The Crumps started the company in Ontario, Canada, from their garage in 2006.
The company began processing orders from the Nashville plant, the 190,000-square-foot plant formerly operated Carolina Innovative Food Ingredients, in January 2023. Carolina Innovative ceased operations in April 2021.
A regional payroll impact in excess of $6 million was projected by the state Department of Commerce when Crump Group first announced its move into North Carolina. State officials projected that the jobs at the plant would pay an average annual salary of $42,016, slightly above Nash County’s average of $41,827.
The expansion was assisted by a $750,000 grant from the Community Development Block Grant Building Reuse program.
The Crump Group’s project in North Carolina was facilitated by a Job Development Investment Grant approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. Over the course of the 12-year term of the grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $650.5 million, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.
Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the grant agreement authorizes paying the company up to $1.6 million spread over 12 years.