4T/H Cat Food Production Line in Russia

From Abattoir By-Products to Brand Ownership

I got a call late last year from a procurement manager at a large meat processing group just outside Moscow. They had a problem—or rather, an opportunity. They were sitting on a steady supply of fresh chicken, beef, and turkey trimmings, as well as bone-in materials from their abattoir that weren't making it to the human-grade market. For years, they sold this off cheap to local farmers. But with the import substitution trend really taking hold in Russia, they saw a gap in the market for locally produced premium pet food that wasn't just dry kibble.

They had already bought some used wet food retorts from another European manufacturer—second-hand stuff—but they had no idea how to integrate it into a proper facility. They needed a building, a layout, and most importantly, a reliable cat food production line in Russia that could handle their fresh meat volumes and turn it into shelf-stable products.

They didn't just want machines; they wanted a factory blueprint. That’s where we came in. RICHI Machinery didn't just supply the extruder; we handled the entire civil works planning, the plant layout, and the process design for the whole 40,000m² site. The only thing we didn't touch was their existing wet food cookers; those were integrated into our design.

Site Overview and Layout Rationale

The plot they secured near Pushkino is a decent size—about 4 hectares. You have to understand Russian winters; you can't just have outdoor material handling. Everything needs to be under cover or heated.

We designed the layout to separate the dry processes from the wet ones. Dry dust is the enemy of wet food sterilization, and moisture is the enemy of dry kibble storage.

• North Zone (Dirty/Raw Side): We placed the 1# Raw Material Warehouse (1,405m²) here along with the 2# Production Workshop for extruded dry food. The raw meat coming in goes straight into cold storage in the 5# Production Workshop (ground floor) without crossing the finished goods flow.
• Central Zone (Processing): The 5# Production Workshop is a three-story building. Ground floor is the cold storage and wet food production. The second and third floors are dedicated to the new cat food production line in Russia for baked food.
• South Zone (Clean/Finished): The 4# Production Workshop acts as the finished product warehouse (5,071m²). By keeping the finished goods away from the raw material intake, we minimize cross-contamination risks.

The 6# Dormitory Building for the 40 staff is placed on the east side. It keeps the living quarters upwind of the 9# Boiler House where the 3t/h biomass steam generator sits and the wastewater treatment area.

Product Mix and Annual Throughput

This cat food production line in Russia is designed to cover multiple segments of the pet food market. The following production structure determined the entire process flow.

Running 300 days a year with three shifts ensures consistent production capacity.

Raw Material Realities in the Russian Market

You cannot simply copy a formula used in China or the United States into a Russian cat food production line. The supply chain is different and must be adapted to local raw material availability.

• Local Fresh Meats: Chicken, turkey, duck, and fish supplied by the parent company and regional fisheries.
• Imported Meals and Premixes: Some high-protein chicken meal and vitamin premixes are still imported.
• Grains: Corn and rice sourced from southern Russian farms.
• Liquid Ingredients: Chicken fat, beef tallow, and soybean oil delivered in drums or tankers.

Raw Material Consumption Summary

The RICHI Equipment Configuration

The equipment configuration was designed for reliability and continuous industrial operation.

Extruded Dry Food Line

• Surpass Hammer Mill for corn and rice grinding
• Batch Mixer for ingredient blending
• RICHI Twin-Screw Extruder for kibble forming
• Multi-Pass Dryer and Cooler
• Vacuum Spray Coater for fat absorption
• Vibrating Screener and Packaging System

Baked Food Line

• 2 Bone Separators
• 2 Meat Grinders
• 2 Mixing Systems
• 2 Forming Extruders
• 4 Low-Temperature Baking Ovens
• Cooling and Screening System

Wet Food Line

• Bone Separator
• Grinder
• Cooker and Meat Chopper
• Semi-Automatic Filling and Sealing System
• 2 Water Bath Retorts
• Drying System for cans and pouches

Engineering Challenges: Utilities and Waste

The largest engineering challenge was wastewater treatment. High organic loads from wet food processing require on-site pre-treatment before discharge.

• Fresh water intake: approximately 20,820 m³ per year
• Product washing water: 1,440 m³ per year
• Retort drainage: 691 m³ per year
• Equipment cleaning water: 480 m³ per year
• Floor washing water: 6,720 m³ per year

An on-site wastewater treatment pool with 90m³ effective volume was constructed using grease separation and flocculation precipitation processes.

Environmental Compliance

• Dust Collection: Baghouse filtration system connected to hammer mill and mixers
• Odor Control: Negative pressure ventilation with wet scrubber and activated carbon filtration
• Boiler Emissions: Biomass boiler equipped with baghouse filtration

Project Investment and Cost Breakdown

Shipping and Logistics

All equipment was loaded at Qingdao Port and shipped to the Port of St. Petersburg. From there the cargo was transported by truck to the animal feed factory project site in Pushkino. Electrical motors and equipment components were specified for cold climate operation.

Market Outlook: Why This Works in Russia

The Russian pet food market has experienced a shift toward local production. Several international brands have reduced their presence, opening space for domestic manufacturers.

A combined dry and wet cat food production line in Russia allows producers to maximize raw material value and reduce dependence on imports.

For meat processors, converting abattoir by-products into branded pet food significantly increases product value and profitability.

If you are considering investing in a complete cat food production line in Russia or expanding an existing feed mill into pet food production, our engineering team can help design the facility layout, utilities, and process flow based on your available raw materials.