LYNDEN, Wash. — A freeze-dried pet food company intends to build the largest freeze-dried pet food production facility in North America in Lynden. They hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in October.
The 200,000-square-foot building will feature a freezer, a pre-processing area, a freeze-drying section, a packaging area and an automated storage and retrieval system warehouse according to a November 16th press release from Alliance Freeze Dry Group (AFD Group).
The new factory, named “Canature Kitchen Lynden,” is planned to be operational in 2024 and will create 74 new job opportunities.
Mayor of the City of Lynden Scott Korthuis is quoted in the release as saying, “We appreciate the investment that the Alliance Freeze Dry Group is making in our city, knowing that it represents both job opportunities and regional economic benefit. They have contributed to public infrastructure improvements and designed a striking Canature Kitchen facility that we can all be proud of. It’s clear that Alliance doesn’t simply want to conduct business in the city, but that they are a stakeholder, keen to become an integral part of the Lynden business community.”
Founded in Langley, British Columbia, in 2010, AFD Group, along with its subsidiary Canature Processing Ltd, manufactures freeze-dried pet foods and treats under their own and private-label brands for sale worldwide.
AFD Group and Canature’s NutriBites brand products are sold across the US and Canada through many retailers including Costco.