Petsource by Scoular facility to begin Operations in October

The Scoular Company celebrated the completion of its $50 million freeze-dried pet food ingredient manufacturing facility in Seward on Sept. 1, a new business division named Petsource by Scoular. The facility will begin operations in October.

The Scoular subsidiary will develop, procure, freeze-dry and package high-protein ingredients — such as freeze-dried whole organ meats and meat analogues — for various pet food manufacturers at this new facility. It will also have an in-house testing laboratory to help develop and analyze its pet food ingredients.

'We are excited to drive innovation in the pet food industry and encouraged by our customers' enthusiasm for the capabilities within our new facility,' said Amy Patterson, general manager of Petsource.  'We look forward to creating new partnerships with our customers by bringing product development together with meat processing, freeze drying and packaging to provide a complete freeze-dried pet food supply chain.'

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The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, US Congressman Don Bacon, who represents Nebraska's second district and serves on the House Agriculture Committee, and other local civic leaders.

The facility spans 105,000 sq ft and, once fully operational, will employ up to 100 people.

'Scoular has been creating opportunities for Nebraskans for over a century,' Ricketts said. 'The Petsource operation brings great jobs to Seward, and we're grateful for Scoular's ongoing commitment to growing its business in the Cornhusker State.'Scoular first announced its plans for Petsource and the Seward facility in March 2019 and broke ground in Seward in August 2019.

'Nebraska is the center of agriculture in the United States because of the quality commodities we grow and raise along with the innovation that is generated by such companies as Scoular,' Rep. Bacon added. 'This Petsource facility highlights the rich resources available in our community but also the brilliant and ingenious talent produced by our Nebraska educational institutions.'

Scoular worked with the City of Seward, Seward County Chamber & Development Partnership, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and Gray Construction, the design firm tasked with engineering, architecture and construction of the Petsource facility.

By Jordan Tyler

Pet Food Processing