Farmina invests US$23.5M to expand Serbia’s largest pet food manufacturing hub

SERBIA – Italian pet food manufacturer Farmina Pet Foods will invest €20 million (US$23.5 million) over the next two years to expand its flagship production facility in Inđija, reinforcing Serbia’s position as one of Europe’s fastest-growing hubs for pet food manufacturing and export.

The investment will add new production lines for dog dental treats and cat cream treats at the facility, which is already Farmina’s largest manufacturing plant globally and one of Europe’s largest pet food production sites.

The expansion forms part of the company’s long-term growth strategy in Serbia, where it has invested more than €50 million (US$58.8 million) since establishing operations in 2010.

Farmina currently employs 415 people at the site, six times as many as a decade ago, while annual revenues have surpassed €170 million (US$200 million).

According to the company, approximately 97% of production is exported to more than 40 countries, including markets across Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, Russia, Japan and China, with Australia expected to become its next export destination. Farmina expects exports to increase by 15% in 2025.

Chief Executive Officer Angelo Russo described Serbia as the centre of the company’s global manufacturing network, citing the country’s skilled workforce, government support and veterinary trade agreements with more than 50 countries as key drivers of its international expansion.

Serbia strengthens its position in Europe’s pet food industry

Farmina’s latest investment reflects the rapid growth of Serbia’s pet food sector, which has become one of the country’s fastest-expanding agribusiness industries.

According to Serbia’s Ministry of Agriculture, pet food exports now exceed €200 million (US$235 million) annually, supported by rising international demand for premium pet nutrition and the country’s growing reputation as a competitive manufacturing base.

The expansion also builds on previous investments supported by international financial institutions. 

In 2016, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved a €7.25 million (US$8.5 million) loan, matched by Société Générale Bank Serbia, to help Farmina expand dry pet food production, establish its first wet pet food manufacturing line and strengthen sourcing from local agricultural suppliers.

The company’s continued investment aligns with broader growth across the global pet food industry, where manufacturers are expanding production to meet rising demand for premium, functional and specialised pet nutrition products.

For Serbia, the development highlights the country’s increasing role in high-value food manufacturing. 

Rather than exporting raw agricultural commodities, the country has steadily expanded value-added processing industries that generate employment, attract foreign investment and strengthen export earnings.

Farmina’s latest expansion is expected to further enhance Serbia’s competitiveness as a strategic production and export platform serving pet food markets across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East, while reinforcing the country’s ambition to become a leading manufacturing hub for premium pet nutrition.

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