Products by Spot & Tango, a pet health and wellness company that is opening a manufacturing facility in the Lehigh Valley. (photo courtesy Spot & Tango)

A pet health and wellness company has chosen the Lehigh Valley as the location of its first manufacturing facility, a project which will create close to 100 new jobs in the region.

Spot & Tango has leased a 66,700 square-foot facility in Upper Macungie Township. The company has committed to investing about $20 million into the project and creating at least 96 new, full-time jobs over the next three years.

“Spot & Tango is the latest entry to the fast-growing food, beverage and pet food production market in the Lehigh Valley,” said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC). “Animal and people food, along with beverages, is one of the fastest growing sectors of Lehigh Valley manufacturing. We are thrilled about this exciting new brand of pet food finding a home here in Lehigh Valley.”

The Spot & Tango facility is located at at 7520 Morris Court in Upper Macungie Township.

Spot & Tango anticipates the facility at 7520 Morris Court will be operational this summer, according to company CEO & Founder Russell Breuer.

“We explored a variety of locations throughout the Northeast and selected the Lehigh valley due to its close proximity to major metropolitan centers, infrastructure and talent pool,” Breuer said. “We are looking forward to working with the Governor’s office, local leaders and building a long-term relationship with the community.”

Lehigh Valley has long been home to national pet food producers, such as FreshPet and Nestle Purina. The region's pet food manufacturing sector has nearly 8 times the employment concentration as the typical U.S. region.

The new Lehigh Valley facility will allow Spot & Tango to insource a portion of its product manufacturing, according to the state. The project will include leasehold improvements, equipment acquisition, and training.

LVEDC provided assistance and information to Spot & Tango during their site selection process, and referred the company to the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

The company received a funding proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for a $288,000 Pennsylvania First grant, a $150,000 workforce development grant to help the company train workers, and was encouraged to apply for the department’s Manufacturing Tax Credit program. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Spot & Tango to Pennsylvania and grateful for its investment into Lehigh County communities and the state as a whole,” Wolf said.

“Our commonwealth is the best place to do business, and my administration remains committed to providing the assistance that will help companies grow and succeed here,” he said. “With Spot & Tango planting roots in the Lehigh Valley, they can better serve pet parents throughout the country, all while bringing good-paying manufacturing jobs to the region.”

Founded in 2018, Spot & Tango is a personalized pet health and wellness company that is focused on providing dogs with the highest quality, human-grade meals excluding artificial additives, fillers, and inexpensive preservatives. The company delivers its products to 48 states in the United States.