PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — A maker of dog and cat food opening a plant in a shuttered facility at Aberdeen is the latest recipient of financial assistance from South Dakota state government.
The state Board of Economic Development on Wednesday morning approved $2.5 million of low-interest loans for Smack Holdings USA, LLC, operating as Smack Pet Food, a Canadian manufacturer of premium raw dehydrated pet food.
The company is renovating the building on Melgaard Road in northeast Aberdeen that Banner Engineering expanded before closing earlier this year.
The Aberdeen plant will be Smack Pet Food’s first U.S. operation. “At Smack, we work hard to create the world’s best pet food,” the company says on its website.
The state board approved requests from Smack Pet Food for a $1 million REDI loan and a $1.5 million South Dakota Works loan. The board took the action in public after a 15-minute closed-door session, without any further discussion or questions.
According to a news release issued Wednesday afternoon by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the business “is expected to create about 158 full-time jobs and have a significant economic impact on the state.”
“I am proud of our team at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development for partnering with Smack Pet Food to bring their new location to Aberdeen,” GOED Commissioner Joe Fiala said in the release. “South Dakota offers an ideal environment for their business to thrive, and we look forward to witnessing their continued growth.”
