Natural pet food firm ZIWI Limited is committing NZ$70 million (about $45 million) to construct a new, 12,000-sq-m processing facility in Awatoto, New Zealand, the company announced in a recent release. New technology for air-dried pet food will be installed in the site that will enable the company to launch new product lines.

“The ZIWI team has worked hard over many years building a strong and loyal customer base,” the company’s managing director, Richard Lawrence, said in a statement. “A new starte-of-the-art processing kitchen is necessary for ensuring that we can continue to meet strong global demand for our products. At the same time, it will help us continue to improve our energy efficiency and environmental footprint.”

ZIWI will start work on the new plant in Awatoto this August. When the site commences operations in 2021, the company will close three production facilities in the Tauranga region. Staff at the plants slated for closure will be offered positions in Awatoto. 

The pet food firm said the opening of the new plant and headquarters is part of its effort to double its annual revenue during the next three to five years.