Monday evening the very first bag of Champion pet food rolled off the line in the Canadian company’s new Auburn kitchen.
“We are so honored by the commitment Champion executives made to Logan County and Kentucky,” says State Rep. Martha Jane King.
The Logan County High School FFA helped escort guests to the ceremony, and everyone looked on with pride as the Logan County Sheriff’s Department posted the Canadian, US and Kentucky flags. A trio sang the National anthems.
“After the ribbon cutting we had a personal tour of the plant, followed by seeing the production team’s first bags and pallets of product,” King notes. “It was a great evening topped off by the announcement that an expansion was already in progress! What a fabulous team!”
On its website, Champion Petfoods explains the choice of the Auburn site this way:
Many of the world’s most successful companies have discovered that Kentucky, land of the thoroughbred, is a great place to build their business. Champion agrees. Kentucky is the perfect location to prepare our Biologically Appropriate™ dog and cat foods.
“The agricultural heritage and proximity to ranches and farms make locating to western Kentucky an excellent choice,” said Champion Petfoods President and CEO Frank Burdzy. “We are very pleased that the Commonwealth of Kentucky is partnered with us to grow our Biologically Appropriate mandate.”
“Our new custom fitted kitchens will advance our Biologically Appropriate and Fresh Regional Ingredient foods,” said Burdzy. “We’re going to install the best technology available to prepare a unique variety of innovative foods reflecting the Kentucky region.”
Rural Kentucky provides Champion access to local farmers and growers, allowing the opportunity to feature a diversity of Fresh Regional Ingredients in its foods.
“You can be regional anywhere in the world and Kentucky has a great local food culture,” said Champion Petfoods Chief Brand Officer Peter Muhlenfeld. “Access to new farmers, growers and producers creates opportunity to feature a diversity of Fresh Regional Ingredients in our ACANA and ORIJEN dog and cat foods.”
Champion’s Canadian kitchens will focus on supplying the pet specialty market in Canada, Europe and Asia, while the new Kentucky kitchens will supply the growing pet specialty market in the USA. As with Champion’s Morinville Kitchens, the new Kentucky kitchens will only make ACANA and ORIJEN brands exclusively – no private label foods.