Dog and cat food manufacturer Diamond Pet Foods has selected a site in Rushville, IN to construct a new, $259 million production plant and distribution center as the company seeks to expand its support for customers in the Midwest.

“We are excited to choose Rushville for its proximity to suppliers as well as the community’s skilled workforce,” Mike Kampeter, president of Diamond Pet Foods, said in a recent release issued by Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC). “This new state-of-the-art facility will allow us to continue offering quality pet food at prices pet parents can feel good about. We look forward to adding Rushville and Indiana to the Diamond family.”

Based in Meta, MO, Diamond Pet Foods was established in 1970 and supplies dog and cat food produced with US-sourced ingredients. The company currently has over 1,000 workers at its locations in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, South Carolina, and California.

The company’s decision to expand in the Midwest stems from an uptick in the number of pet owners in the US over the last several years. 170 new jobs will be created when the facility becomes operational by the end of 2024.

“We couldn’t be prouder to welcome one of the world’s largest privately held pet food manufacturers to Indiana’s thriving economic ecosystem,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement.

Schell & Kampeter Inc., doing business as Diamond Pet Foods, will receive an investment of up to $1.5 million from IDEC to support the firm’s job creation plans.

Plans for the Indiana project were first revealed in November 2021, Powder & Bulk Solids reported.