Historic East Midlands pet food factory to receive multi-million pound upgrade

Image by Vicki Hamilton from Pixabay

Mars, the company behind iconic pet food brands Whiskas and Pedigree, is set to announce a major £161 million investment to modernise and future-proof its historic manufacturing site in Melton Mowbray.

The investment will create 30 new skilled jobs in the first year,  along with seven additional apprenticeship roles focusing on technical and operational areas of the business. Further employment opportunities are planned for subsequent phases of the rollout.

In its 75th year of operation, the upgrade will transform manufacturing at Melton Mowbray, introducing sustainable infrastructure – including new pouch production lines to enable the use of recyclable materials – and advanced technology to create a more modern, efficient, and future-ready business.

This latest commitment takes Mars’s total UK investment to more than half a billion pounds (£661m) since 2021, and forms part of the company’s broader plans to invest  €1bn in its European operations by the end of 2026.

Built in 1951, the Melton Mowbray site is woven into the history of British pet care as the original birthplace of Whiskas cat food and Pedigree dog food.  Today, the site employs 215 associates.

95% of the products manufactured on-site supply households across the UK, and the remaining 5% are exported to key European markets.

With the global cat population growing by over 3% in 2025 and the UK ranking as the third largest pet food market in the world, Mars plays a crucial role in feeding the nation’s pets. Its portfolio reaches 9.7 million cats and 8.8 million dogs in the UK.

Beyond the announcement, the Melton site celebrates its 75th year in 2026, at a time of phenomenal growth of cat and dog ownership in recent years, so this investment represents a major vote of confidence in the business and in local jobs and training.