Spot & Tango is investing US$20 million to expand its petfood manufacturing operation in Upper Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, US. The project will double the company’s production capacity within one to two years and increase its workforce by about 50 percent, from approximately 100 to 150 employees. The expansion comes as the company reports annual sales growth of 60–70 percent.
The New York City-based petfood company produces fresh dog food using ingredients it describes as being of the same quality used in food for human consumption. It sells its products directly to consumers online.
Lehigh Valley’s petfood sector
The investment also highlights the Lehigh Valley’s growing role in petfood manufacturing. About 35 percent of Pennsylvania’s petfood manufacturing jobs are located in the region, which has 13 times the national average concentration of such jobs. Freshpet and Nestlé Purina also operate manufacturing facilities in the area.
Spot & Tango said the region’s logistics and distribution infrastructure, manufacturing base, labour pool and comparatively lower property costs influenced its decision to establish the plant there. Local economic development organisation LVEDC and utility company PPL Corporation supported the latest expansion, including efforts to address the company’s power requirements.
Spot & Tango opened its Lehigh Valley manufacturing facility in 2022. The 66,700-square-foot plant represented the company’s first manufacturing facility and received US$438,000 in state grants during its development. The company initially turned to contract manufacturers as demand increased but found that available capacity could not keep pace with growth.
The latest expansion will add 20,000 square feet of space adjacent to the company’s existing operation. The additional space became available four years after the original facility opened, allowing Spot & Tango to expand within the same building rather than establish a separate site. The expansion reflects the Lehigh Valley’s position as a manufacturing centre while giving Spot & Tango additional capacity within its existing facility to meet continued demand for its UnKibble brand.
“We’ve had such a great experience here,” said Dylan Munro, Spot & Tango’s Chief Operating Officer. “We have a really strong team, with relatively low turnover.” Munro added that it’s really convenient for their headquarters; they can have their team in New York visit the team in Allentown and vice versa on a regular basis, and that allows them to build culture.
