170,000 Sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility will employ 150.
PERHAM, Minn., August 7, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Delano, MN city officials today joined executives from Tuffy's Pet Foods, CRB, Pinky Swear Foundation and Founding Fathers Pet Treats to celebrate the ground breaking of Tuffy's new pet treat facility on Wednesday, August 7th in Delano.
Delano Mayor Dale Graunke kicked off the ceremony by discussing the impact the facility will have on his community. "Delano is open for business and our beautiful city couldn't be more excited to have such a highly-respected family-owned company add jobs and vitality to Delano. We want Tuffy's Pet Foods to feel as home in Delano as they do in Perham."
The 173,500 sq. ft. facility is slated to open in November, 2020. It will feature two extrusion lines producing 9,000 lbs. of semi-moist pet treats each hour and six packaging lines producing stand-up re-sealable pouches. The plant will initially employ 50 people and 150 jobs when it reaches capacity. The facility will be constructed by Kansas City, MO-based CRB, a global consulting, design and construction services firm. The facility will be designed and built to achieve Green Globe Certification for sustainability.
"Tuffy's is committed to producing great products for four-legged family members," said Charlie Nelson, president of Tuffy's Pet Foods parent company KLN Family Brands. "We are equally committed to being a great corporate citizen and an important part of the Delano business community."
The ultramodern facility will provide the safest environment for pet food safety, efficiency and flexibility. The facility is designed meet and exceed the stringent requirements of today's pet food market using sustainable operations that reduce the plant's environmental footprint and waste.
Tuffy's Pet Foods is providing financial support that will allow the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital to add its first ever full-time therapy dog to provide comfort and affection to kids being treated at the hospital. Tuffy's, along with its parent company KLN Family Brands, also supports Pinky Swear Foundation which provides financial and emotional assistance to kids with cancer and their families.
Based in Perham, MN, Tuffy's has been producing dry dog and cat food kibble for over 50 years. Tuffy's currently produces kibble under its own national brands NutriSource, Pure Vita and Natural Planet as well as numerous co-manufactured products.
About Tuffy's Pet Foods
Tuffy's Pet Foods, Inc. manufactures dry and moist dog and cat food and treats. The company was founded in 1947 by Darrell "Tuffy" Nelson and is based in Perham, Minnesota. In 2015, the company expanded with a new $70 million, 130,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. Today, the company is spending $60 million on a grinding, mixing, storing and receiving facility which will also house a 4th extruder line. Tuffy's is family-owned and operated — and has been since it was founded in 1964. The company's other brands include NutriSource, PureVita and Natural Planet. Tuffy's Pet Foods, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of KLN Enterprises, Inc. Visit http://www.tuffyspetfoods.com/.
About KLN Family Brands
A third generation family owned company, KLN Family Brands is located in Perham, MN and is comprised of Tuffy's Pet Food and Kenny's Candy & Confections. Tuffy's was the first KLN manufacturing facility introduced by the Nelson Family and has been proudly producing premium pet food since 1964 under brands such as NutriSource, Pure Vita, and Natural Planet. In 1987 KLN branched out into the world of sweets and Kenny's Candy & Confections was born. Kenny's is the candy factory responsible for great brands like Wiley Wallaby, Sweet Chaos, and other Candies and Confections. For more information on KLN and its brands, please visit http://www.klnfamilybrands.com.
About CRB
CRB is a leading provider of sustainable engineering, architecture, construction and consulting solutions to the global food + beverage and advanced technology industries. Our more than 1,000 employees provide best-in-class solutions that drive success and positive change for our clients, our people and our communities. CRB is a privately held company with a rich 35-year history of serving clients throughout the world, consistently striving for the highest standard of technical knowledge, creativity and execution. More information at https://www.crbusa.com/
About Delano, MN
The City of Delano is located in the southeastern corner of Wright County, Minnesota, just 27 miles from downtown Minneapolis, west on Interstate 394 and US Highway 12. It has a population of just over 6,000 with a thriving and growing business community.
