Mars Petcare: Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater tours ‘fascinating’ pet food plant that offers vibrant apprenticeship programme

The site, which as well as producing pet food leads on pet nutrition with a global innovation centre that handles research and development, employs hundreds of people, many of them local.

Ms Leadbeater met some of those local employees during her tour, which was led by Paolo Rigamonti, general manager, and Dave Jones, factory manager for the Birstall site.

Some staff have been selected for training through the company’s apprenticeship programme and have stayed with Mars to pursue a career.

Following her tour Ms Leadbeater said: “It was fascinating to visit the Mars Petcare plant at Birstall, to find out more about their work and the variety of pet food products they make.

“With hundreds of employees, many of whom live locally, this is a major business in my constituency and one that can trace its Yorkshire roots back more than a century.

“I was impressed by the size and scale of the operation but also its innovation centre, where staff undertake research on preventative health and oral care for our furry friends to inform their product development and create a range of treats for cats and dogs.

“It was also great to see a vibrant apprenticeship programme and that so many young employees remain with the company to make a career in Batley and Spen.”

Paolo Rigamonti, general manager of Mars Pet Nutrition UK, said: "Our Associates in Birstall have been a fixture of the local community for over 35 years, and so we were delighted to welcome Ms Leadbeater to our factory to see how we continue to innovate with new products to create a better world for pet."