Mars opens Australia's largest cat food kitchen with new $112.6M facility

Mars opens Australia's largest cat food kitchen with new $112.6M facility

●    Mars opens Australia’s largest dedicated wet cat food pouch facility, producing 290 million pouches annually for much loved brands including WHISKAS®, DINE®, OPTIMUMTM and ADVANCETM 
●    The $112.6M facility will create more than 67 new jobs and 100 additional indirect jobs in the region
●    World class ‘cat food kitchen’ powered by advanced manufacturing and renewable energy innovation

Melbourne, Australia (11 June, 2026) – Mars, Incorporated, today officially opened its $112.6 million world-class pet food facility in Wodonga, Victoria, marking a major milestone in the company’s long-term investment in Australian manufacturing, regional jobs and sustainable innovation. The facility will create more than 67 new jobs and over 100 additional indirect roles across the region, bringing the company’s total Wodonga workforce to nearly 500 Associates. 

The new pouch facility – Australia’s largest cat food kitchen - will produce 290 million pouches of premium wet cat food each year for much loved brands including WHISKAS®, DINE®, OPTIMUM™ and ADVANCE™. This expansion means 90% of Mars pet care products sold in Australia and New Zealand will be made locally, strengthening supply chain resilience and reducing reliance on imported products. 

The opening follows the company’s recently announced $200 million investment in Australian manufacturing through to 2027, part of a broader program to expand capacity, fuel innovation and advance the company’s renewable energy ambitions. Since 2020, Mars has invested more than $450 million across its Australian operations to modernise facilities, improve quality and efficiency, and support a more resilient, low carbon manufacturing footprint.

With 5.3 million cats living in a third of Australian homes, demand for high-quality, locally made nutrition continues to rise, with wet pouch formats now the fastest-growing segment of the pet food category. 

Managing Director and General Manager Mars Petcare Australia and New Zealand, Melodie Nye, said the investment reflects the company’s deep commitment to regional communities, innovation and the future of Australian manufacturing. 

“We know Australians love their cats, and so do we. That’s why this new facility means so much to us. Our iconic brands like WHISKAS® and DINE® have been part of homes for generations, and this new facility helps us deliver the high quality meals that keep millions of cats happy and healthy every day. 

Mars has been part of the Wodonga community since 1967, and this new facility is the next chapter in that story. We’re proud to keep investing here – in local jobs, in Australian manufacturing, and in the people who make this place what it is.” 

The development of the Wodonga facility was also supported by the Victorian Government, through Regional Development Victoria. 

Minister for Regional Development Michaela Settle said that the government’s support reflected an ongoing commitment to strengthen regional economies and formed part of a more than $50 billion investment into regional Victoria in just over the last decade.

“Across regional Victoria, we’re helping businesses like Mars Petcare to expand their operations, strengthening our supply chains and continuing to develop places like Wodonga as manufacturing powerhouses,” Minister Settle said.

“We’re proud to have supported this expansion, which has created local jobs and will support significant productivity growth for the company.”

Located alongside existing Mars operations in Wodonga, the new facility introduces advanced manufacturing technology, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated packaging systems, a next generation cooker and selective use of AI-enabled planning tools to enhance production efficiency and operational flexibility.

The Wodonga site is also home to two nation-leading renewable energy initiatives:

• Australia’s first commercial Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) system for steam generation – a $39.3 million project jointly funded by ARENA and Mars. Once complete, CST will generate renewable steam to meet over 50% of the site’s annual process heat requirements, cutting natural gas use by more than half.
• Australia’s first commercial-scale electric Thermal Energy Storage (eTES) pilot, which uses renewable electricity to generate and store heat. The system has already reduced gas consumption by 20%, significantly lowering emissions.

Mars is a private family-owned business which has produced brands loved by Aussies and their pets for generations, from PEDIGREE® to WHISKAS® to ROYAL CANIN®. Across its seven factories and two corporate offices in Melbourne and Sydney, Mars employs 2,400 Australian Associates. 

Media Contact:
Jennifer Graham | jennifer.graham@effem.com