December 8, 2020
Contact: Jeff Garstka
Economic Development Director City of Reidsville
336-347-2307 (direct)
JGarstka@ReidsvilleNC.gov
REIDSVILLE, N.C. – North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland announced today the first North American manufacturing and distribution location for Farmina Pet Foods, an Italian gourmet pet food producer. The company will begin construction in 2021 of a new facility at the Reidsville Industrial Park and invest $28,485,000 in real and personal property and create 129 new jobs.
The project was made possible from a Job Development Investment Grant from NC Commerce, a variety of economic development incentives from the City of Reidsville and Rockingham County, and a development grant from Duke Energy. The company was also assisted by the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and Parker Poe Consulting, who managed the site selection process.
“We are pleased to have Farmina locate their first North American facility in Reidsville,” said Reidsville Mayor Jay Donecker. “Farmina is another addition to a much diversified manufacturing base providing a wide range of jobs and opportunities for our citizens of Reidsville, Rockingham County and the region. During the past five years Reidsville has made a concerted effort with its county and state partners to attract new industries and assist existing manufacturers grow. This has resulted in the creation of more than 1,500 new jobs here. We are a city of citizens with a ‘can do’ attitude and results like these are very rewarding. Thank you, Farmina, and welcome to our Team Reidsville community.”
The announcement was made via a Zoom meeting with attendees including Sen. Phil Berger, Rep. Jerry Carter, and other state and local officials.
“Farmina is the fourth company to invest in the Reidsville Industrial Park, adding to the City’s reputation as an international destination for manufacturing and distribution,” said Reidsville Economic Development Director Jeff Garstka. “Despite dealing with COVID-19, this team of local, state and private sector leaders was able to work carefully with the company to conduct socially distanced site visits, and a lot of virtual meetings to bring the project to fruition. During the pandemic, City staff and leadership have continued to be responsive to the needs of industry as well as small business. Farmina’s expansion, creating well over 100 new jobs, is a reality despite a struggling global economy. We look forward to helping them continue to grow for many years to come.”
“Farmina is just the latest world-class company to recognize Rockingham County as the perfect place to grow their business,” North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said. “Reidsville has benefited from a number of industrial and manufacturing expansions over the years. Thanks to companies like Farmina, there are good paying jobs available for people here in Rockingham County.”
“I am very excited about Farmina coming to Reidsville,” North Carolina House Representative Jerry Carter said. “We will work very hard to make them feel welcome and look forward to many years of growth. A big ‘thank you’ for choosing Reidsville and Rockingham County.”
About Farmina (from farmina.com):
Family values permeate our history which began in Italy over 50 years ago. In 1965, Mr. Francesco Russo founded the Russo Mangimi Company which specialized in animal nutrition. During this time, Mr. Russo raised his children and passed on his values and passion for animal nutrition. Over the years, his family and company continued to grow.
In 1999, Dr. Angelo Russo, son of the owner Francesco, shifted the company’s focus to operate in the pet food industry with a new perspective. He aspired to develop foods based on scientific studies focused on the well-being of pets. Dr. Russo began this arduous journey by collaborating with Farmina, an English company specializing in food research and formulation. With a positive customer response, the company began investing more in technological research and development. It also provided the opportunity to partner with leading independent research institutes, such as the chair of Nutrition and Animal Nutrition of the University of Naples Federico II.
Dr. Russo then established Farmina Vet Research, a team of veterinarians and nutritional formulation specialists. The team has developed long-term relationships with dozens of independent veterinarians in order to provide a constant systematic study of the best foods for the physiological nature of pets.