French pet health and nutrition company Royal Canin's Shanghai manufacturing plant was named to the World Economic Forum's Global Lighthouse Network with Distinction in Customer Centricity on June 29, making it the first Mars facility — and the first pet food site worldwide — to receive the honor.

The recognition highlights Shanghai's continued progress in advancing intelligent manufacturing and digital transformation across its industrial sector.

The Global Lighthouse Network recognizes some of the world's most advanced manufacturing and supply chain operations. The Distinction in Customer Centricity honors manufacturing sites that demonstrate outstanding achievements in customized production and delivery efficiency, with only eight sites recognized globally in the latest cohort.

The Shanghai plant has deployed more than 40 advanced solutions across its end-to-end value chain. In partnership with the Academy of National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, it runs a satellite-based model to predict wheat mycotoxin risks one month before harvest. AI-optimized drying processes reduce energy consumption and improve product consistency, while its "Smart Eye" data control tower streamlines nationwide distribution.

These digital upgrades have cut in-line defects by 70 percent and maintained service levels above 98 percent.

Operational since 2010, the plant follows unified global manufacturing standards with a clean record of zero food safety incidents and zero microbial non-compliance. It has also retained Mars' highest internal "Platinum Factory" rating for 820 consecutive weeks.

Royal Canin entered China in 1995. According to the company, it plans to build on the Shanghai plant's experience to expand the application of digital technologies across its Shanghai and Tianjin manufacturing facilities, supporting the high-quality development of China's pet food industry.