EDEN, N.C. — More than 300 new jobs are coming to Eden, breathing fresh life into the former MillerCoors brewery.

Purina announced a $450 million investment into the facility to turn it into a dry pet food factory.

Purina Vice President of Manufacturing, Nolan Terry, says the company is excited to get into Eden and become a part of the community.

He says it was looking at sites all over the southeast, and the Eden facility met what Purina was looking for.

“The other thing that was really attractive to us was the fact that there’s a skilled work force that’s ready to go to work, and so we were excited that we could make this property work,” Terry said.

Ed Jones retired from the brewery in 2010 after 28 years there and is excited to see the facility opened again.

“It was kind of sad when you would go by the brewery and see it sitting empty. It was such a vital part of this community," Jones said.

He's thankful for the people who made this deal happen, because it means so many people who need work have the chance to be in Eden.

“The trucking companies, the security guards, the vendors. It’s going to be amazing how many more jobs that this is really going to bring to Eden,” Jones said.

Purina is planning for the facility to be operational by 2022.