A Canadian pet food company said Thursday it will spend $85 million to expand its manufacturing plant in Nashville, a little more than a year after it began production at the facility.
The Crump Group said the expansion will 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 spent more than $40 million to acquire the property, manufacturing facility and equipment. A company spokesperson said the latest expansion will add about 80,000 square feet and is expected to be completed by January 30, 2025.
“With increased customer demand, we are 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.
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 main ingredient.
The Crumps started the company in Ontario, Canada, out of their garage in 2006.
The company began processing orders from the Nashville plant, the 190,000-square-foot plant that formerly operated Carolina Innovative Food Ingredients, in January 2023. Carolina Innovative ceased operations in April 2021.
A regional payroll impact of more than $6 million was anticipated by the state Department of Commerce when the Crump Group first announced its move to North Carolina. State officials expect jobs at the plant to pay an average annual salary of $42,016, slightly above the Nash County average of $41,827.
The expansion was aided by a $750,000 grant from the Community Development Block Grant Building Reuse program.
The Crump Group project in North Carolina was facilitated by a Job Development Investment Grant approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. Over 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 new tax revenues generated by new jobs, the grant agreement allows for payments to the company of up to $1.6 million spread over 12 years.
