Instinct Pet Food cuts ribbon on $150M facility in west Lincoln

Judging by the rise in TV commercials, it's no longer considered humane to feed household pets with food from a can or a bag.

Kibble is now a bad word. Natural products — meats, grains and vegetables — are now the expectation. 

And it shows in the annual numbers. In 2023, the pet food market was valued at more than $120.8 billion and is projected to grow by 5.6% this year. 

Meanwhile, the high-end unprocessed pet food market saw 20% growth last year, said Gordon Dumesich, CEO of Instinct Pet Food.

Instinct, a St. Louis-based pet food manufacturer, has been riding that wave for years with its raw recipes, which are minimally processed, protein-packed, and never cooked to keep more nutrients intact than cooked pet food.

“Pet parents are stepping away from ultra-processed food and seeking real food alternatives to enable their pets to live longer, healthier lives,” Dumesich said.

On Wednesday, Instinct, which used to be called Nature's Variety, cut the ribbon on the first phase of its new $150 million facility in west Lincoln that will nearly triple its local workforce by adding 175 new jobs. The first phase included buildout of a freeze-drying building.

The ceremony featured Instinct's management and board of directors, while Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly was also there along with Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.

“This is going to further cement our community's status as a major hub for pet food manufacturing in the Midwest,” Gaylor Baird said. “Lincoln has become a top dog in growing the pet food industry.”

The city of Lincoln helped the project by offering $3.5 million in tax-increment financing, the mayor said.

Instinct's new facility received LEED certification, which will save the company on energy costs while protecting the environment, the mayor said.

“It aligns with our climate-smart goals for the community,” she said.

The final phase of the construction project, which will include frozen ingredient storage, grind, mix, and blend operations, is scheduled to be completed by March 2025, Dumesich said.

“We're proud to be part of this community. We're so proud of the fact that we're investing significantly in expanding our operations,” he said. “This investment demonstrates that confidence not only in the future of Lincoln, but also the growth of natural fresher pet food in the United States and also all around the world.”