By Colin Kellaher

Colgate-Palmolive Co.'s Hill's Pet Nutrition unit on Friday said it plans to invest more than $250 million to build a new factory in Kansas to help meet growing demand for its pet foods.

Hill's, based in Topeka, said it expects the new plant in Tonganoxie will be completed by 2023 and will employ at least 80 people by 2025.

Colgate's pet nutrition business accounted for about 18% of the consumer-products company's $4.34 billion in sales in the first quarter this year. Hill's saw sales growth of 9.5% during the quarter, compared with overall company sales growth of 6%.

Hill's has four other manufacturing sites in the U.S., including two in its home state of Kansas.

Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

06-18-21 0936ET