Tuffy's Pet Foods of Perham has broken ground in Delano on a $70 million, 175,000-square foot "pet-treats" plant that is expected to employ up to 150 people.
"Tuffy's is committed to producing great products for four-legged family members," said Charlie Nelson, president of parent company KLN Family Brands, the parent company of Tuffy's. "We are equally committed to being a great corporate citizen and an important part of the Delano business community."
The facility is scheduled to open in November, 2020.
It will feature two lines producing 9,000 pounds of semi-moist pet treats each hour and six packaging lines producing stand-up re-sealable pouches. The facility will be constructed by Kansas City, Mo-based CRB, a design and construction services firm, that expects to achieve "Green Globe Certification'' for sustainability.
Based in Perham, about 160 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, Tuffy's has produced dry dog and cat food kibble for over 50 years, under the Tuffy's brands of NutriSource, Pure Vita and Natural Planet as well as numerous co-manufactured products.
KLN expanded Tuffy's to Delano, 30 minutes west of Minneapolis, because of the availability of a larger workforce. Delano City Administrator Philip Kern said Tuffy's is the third large project to break ground in the city this year.
The city is assisting with $2.2 million in tax-increment financing assistance that essentially will use increased property taxes between 2020 and 2028 to cover the cost of street-and-utility improvements for the Tuffy's plant.
In 2015, Tuffy's expanded with a $70 million, 130,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Perham. This year, it is investing $60 million in its hometown, where there are more open jobs than workers, on a grinding, mixing, storing and receiving facility which will also house a fourth extruder line.
