NE: Instinct Pet Food Opens New Center of Excellence Project in Lincoln, Expected to Create 175 Jobs | Trade and Industry Development

NE: Instinct Pet Food Opens New Center of Excellence Project in Lincoln, Expected to Create 175 Jobs

Jul 29, 2024

Instinct Pet Food recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate completion of the first phase of construction on a new facility in west Lincoln. The company produces healthy, high-quality pet food. The $150 million expansion is expected to add 175 jobs.

Nebraska's DED is supporting Instinct’s growth with Site and Building Development Funds. The City of Lincoln has provided tax-increment financing for the project. The "Center of Excellence" (CoE) project aims to bring together all three of Instinct’s operations in the city together on a single campus. 

“Today marks a significant milestone in our journey towards the sustainable future and one that includes more high-quality minimally processed food for dogs and cats,” said Gordon Dumesich, chief executive officer of Instinct. “We’ve been producing Instinct recipes here for over 20 years now, and we’re proud to be part of this community. We’re so proud, in fact, that with the help of our owners at Agrolimen, we’re investing significantly in expanding our operations. This investment demonstrates our confidence not only in the future of Lincoln and also the growth of natural, fresher pet food in the United States, but also all around the world.”

“This is a big deal, this is $160 million, a 100,000-square-foot Center of Excellence, and this is going to further cement our community status as a major hub for pet food manufacturing in the Midwest,” Lincoln Mayor Gaylor Baird said. “And with this new facility, Lincoln will become a top dog in growing the pet food industry here.”

According to Instinct, the company has seen a significant shift in pet parents’ preference for fresh, minimally processed, high-protein pet food ranging from a variety of formats including raw, freeze-dried, gently cooked and air-dried. To continue as the leader in minimally processed, premium quality pet food, the company developed its CoE as a best-in-class facility, producing pet food at human food quality and standards, reports the publication Meat + Poultry.