Mars has opened its $112.6 million cat food facility in Wodonga, as part of the company’s announcement of a $200 million investment in the nation’s manufacturing.
The newly constructed plant is expected to produce 290 million pouches of cat food each year, specifically for flagship brands, including Whiskas, Dine, Optimum and Advance.
With this expansion, 90 per cent of Mars pet care products will be manufactured locally, which aims to strengthen the company’s supply chain and reduce dependence on imported goods.
The pouch facility, located next to the company’s existing operations in Wodonga, is part of the company’s program to increase capacity with advanced manufacturing technology while housing renewable energy initiatives.
To meet the increasing demand in the pet food category, the Wodonga facility will incorporate new technologies. These include autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated packaging systems, a next-generation cooker, and selectively implemented AI-enabled planning tools, which aim to improve both product efficiency and operational flexibility.
Backed by the Victorian government, the cat food facility will create over 67 new jobs and more than 100 additional roles in the region, increasing the company’s total workforce in Wodonga to approximately 500 associates.
“We know Australians love their cats, and so do we. That’s why this new facility means so much to us, “ said Melodie Nye, MD and GM at Mars Petcare ANZ.
“Mars has been part of the Wodonga community since 1967, and this new facility is the next chapter in that story. We’re proud to keep investing here – in local jobs, in Australian manufacturing, and in the people who make this place what it is.”
