AUBURN, Ky. — Champion Petfoods, the maker of ORIJEN and ACANA premium pet food brands, was named one of four companies to win the 2019 Martha Layne Collins Award for leadership in international trade. The award is named after Kentucky’s 56^th governor and given annually to companies who successfully engage in international trade to benefit the state of Kentucky.

The company, having more than 500 employees, accepted the award in the Largest Enterprise Recipient category.

ORIJEN and ACANA brands are distributed globally to more than 94 countries. Champion Petfoods was founded and is headquartered in Barrhead, Alberta, Canada, and in July 2016 opened its Kentucky DogStar Kitchen production facility in Bowling Green just outside of Auburn.

According to Champion, export sales account for a significant portion of the company’s growth.

The Martha Layne Collins Award ceremony was held on Dec. 12, 2019 in Frankfort, Kentucky.

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