PERHAM, MINN. — NutriSource Pet Foods, a subsidiary of KLN Family Brands, and Finley’s Barkery entered a strategic partnership on June 15, in which each company will leverage its strengths for producing pet treats and providing job opportunities and resources to the members of the disabled community.

As part of the collaboration, NutriSource will provide an interest-free bridge loan to Finley’s, as well as help the company develop and produce its new Functional Benefit Bars at NutriSource’s new pet treat manufacturing facility in Delano.

“We are hoping that our partnership will be the catalyst for other companies to see the importance of inclusion and the potential of the disability community,” said Angie Gallus, co-founder of Finley’s. “With growth of brand awareness and revenue, we will be able to serve people not only with employment but financially through our giving initiatives. It shows when organizations come together to put people first, it sends a clear message to the industry of what is important. Now more than ever, these partnerships are what customers want to see. It’s not about giving dollars; it’s about putting those dollars to work to serve people in need.”

Finley’s caught the attention of Charlie Nelson, chief executive officer of KLN Family Brands, three years ago when he heard about Finley’s mission to support people with disabilities in a television report. At that point, Kyle and Angie Gallus, founders of Finley’s, met with Nelson and committed to a future partnership. When Tuffy’s Pet Foods’ new pet treat facility in Delano opened in 2020, both companies decided the time was right to start their partnership.

“Our company has been producing pet foods for nearly 60 years and we’ve never forgotten the help we’ve gotten along the way,” Nelson said. “We feel privileged to pay that support forward by assisting Finley’s in their mission to provide premium pet treats and employment opportunities to those who just need an opportunity to show their talents and abilities.”

NutriSource and Finley’s hope to have the new functional treat products ready for market by fall 2021.

Finley’s does not directly employ people with disabilities, but rather its mission is to create opportunities for paid employment by committing 50% of its net profits to such initiatives. These include training, accessibility initiatives, advocacy and health and wellness programs supporting this community.

Finley's goal is to create paid employment opportunities for people with disabilities while dedicating 50% of net profits to initiatives providing employment training, accessibility, health and wellness, and advocacy platforms for people with disabilities.

Tuffy’s new Delano facility spans 174,000 square feet and has the capacity to produce 9,000 lbs of semi-moist pet treats per hour through two extrusion lines. The plant also houses six packaging lines for stand-up, resealable pet treat pouches, as well as an on-site warehouse and shell space for future growth.

Read our exclusive processor profile on Tuffy's Pet Foods to learn more about the company and its operations in Perham.

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