The Honest Kitchen opening new facility for human-grade ‘kibble’ production
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. — On March 23, The Honest Kitchen announced it is expanding production of its Whole Food Clusters kibble alternative, human-grade pet foods with a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility near Topeka, Kan. The facility is set to open in the third quarter of 2021.
“This new facility, once combined with our manufacturing operation on the West Coast, will represent a huge step forward in increasing our overall manufacturing capacity for Whole Food Clusters,” said Nate Kredich, chief operating officer of The Honest Kitchen. “We are proud not only of the new jobs that this facility will create in Shawnee County, but also that nearly all of our equipment will be sourced from US suppliers.”
The 100,000-square-foot facility is expected to add 40 new jobs in the Topeka area, which was chosen for its proximity to The Honest Kitchen’s raw ingredient suppliers, as well as reducing distribution transit times to key Midwest and East Coast markets.
“In a short amount of time, Whole Food Clusters has exceeded all sales and velocity expectations,” added Michael Greenwell, chief executive officer of The Honest Kitchen. “We’re excited to continue the human-grade pet food momentum and meet the growing demand for this revolutionary product. This expansion will allow us to not only scale as needed but accelerate additional innovations within the line.”
The Whole Food Clusters line first launched in 2019 and has recently expanded to include a full assortment of grain-free, whole-grain, puppy and small-breed recipes. The human-grade dog food is produced through The Honest Kitchen’s proprietary MadeHonest™ method, in which each cluster is slow-roasted and gently dehydrated. This process is intended to preserve nutrients and product attributes that are typically lost through high-heat extrusion.
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