Animal magic as pet food producer invests £6m in boosting production

The family-owned company, which is based in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, produces dry food for dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs.

It has spent £4m on a third extruder machine, which cooks the ingredients under a high heat and pressure, and £2m on a factory extension to house the new equipment.

The extra space will also be used to house an additional 700 tonnes of raw material storage space and 16 more storage bins, each holding up to 45 tonnes of finished product.

The extended factory means the business can now produce between 20 and 26 tonnes of complete dry dog food, dog treats and food for small animals every hour.

The development comes during a growth period for Wagg both in the UK and abroad. The company, which has a £45m turnover and 85 staff, recently entered the Polish market after expanding into other parts of Europe, Asia and North America.

The company sells to both supermarkets and independent retailers.

Ben Anderson, trade sales director at Wagg Foods said: “Our recent period of growth has meant that it has been necessary to make these exciting additions to our production facility.

“Wagg’s capacity has now increased from 100,000 to approximately 150,000 tonnes per year which will help us to meet our customer’s deadlines even more quickly and efficiently.

“With increasing pressure on weekly budgets, consumers are discovering the savings they can make by choosing brands such as Wagg that offer quality and value over mid-market equivalents.”

Wagg Foods also produces Harringtons, a premium dog food which uses compostable packaging, on the site alongside a number of third-party brands. The new investment will enable the company to extend its range of Harringtons’ products on the market with new product developments due in the next 12 months.

The firm was established in 1923 when the current managing director’s grandfather set up an animal feed mill in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire.