Simmons Pet Foods announces expansion plans, new jobs

Simmons Pet Food announced on Oct. 27 plans to expand its canned pet food operation as part of an immediate and longterm growth strategy. The plans include a new production capacity scheduled to come online in 2021, according to a press release from the company.

The first phase of the current expansion plan includes the addition of a new wet pet food operation with 168 million units of canned production capacity, the release states. The operation is set to come online in July 2021 and will create up to 100 new jobs in the Arkansas region.

The next phase is a second addition of a new wet pet food operation with 240 million units of canned production capacity, the release states. This addition is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2021. To further advance the company’s longterm growth strategy, this new location will have the potential for future expansion, it states.

Details about the location of the new operations will be released at a later date, according

to Julie Maus, Simmons director of communications. The expansions are unrelated to the renovation project underway at the company’s pet treats facility on Hico Street, she said.

“We want to continue to grow with our customers and provide them with exceptional customer service and the superior product quality they have come to expect from Simmons,” said Scott Salmon, president of Simmons Pet Food. “These expansion plans are a commitment to deliver on that promise.”

This latest slate of projects builds on a $100 million investment and growth plan that included the new Emporia Flex Plant in 2019 and a new high-speed can line at the Emporia Main Plant, which achieved full operation this month, the release states.

“Our vision is to be the most trusted partner in our industry for food that nourishes and delights pets,” Salmon said. “We lead with technical expertise with a world-class team focused on quality, safety, nutrition and formulation based on leading-edge consumer data and insights. We are excited this winning formula allows us to continue to grow and enable our customers’ success.”