New Head Office for top Northern Irish food group

Fane Valley Group, Northern Ireland's biggest farmers' co-operative, has opened a new state-of-the-art headquarters and logistics centre.

The group's subsidiaries include Linden Foods, a major meat processor for export markets, and White's Oats, Northern Ireland's only oat miller and a successful exporter of porridge oats and granola.

The new headquarters is in Moira, county Antrim and marks a move from the group's former HQ of 68 years in Armagh City, county Armagh.

Group chairman William McConnell, commenting on the new head offices, said;

"We are delighted with the new premises and very much look forward to realising the benefits it will bring to the group. The investment will strengthen our ability to grow the business and extend our trading area.

"It is an important strategic development for the group that we are able to provide a headquarters and distribution operation that is reflective of our scale and aspirations for the future."

The premises are situated on a dedicated four acre site and provide 15,000sq.ft of modern office facilities and 50,000sq.ft of high specification warehousing.

The facility marks the beginning of a fresh chapter for Fane Valley which has been headquartered in Armagh for the past 68 years.

The change of location reflects Fane Valley's ambitions to extend the geographic reach of its agri-business beyond its traditional catchment area.

The new premises are also specially equipped to support the efficient production and dispatch of its range of livestock identification products and to service its growing on-line trading platform. This is expected to deliver significant service and productivity improvements in the years ahead.

The offices were opened by Michelle McIlveen, Northern Ireland's Agriculture Minister, who added: "From its formation well over 100 years ago, it is tremendous to see the growth of the co-operative which has kept its farming roots with local farmers retaining ownership. It is also encouraging to see a leading organisation in our agriculture industry making a substantial investment in their business at a time when the economic environment is facing many unknowns and challenges."

Pic caption: Cutting the tape from left-right: Patrick Savage, Fane Valley vice chairman, William Anderson, Fane Valley board member, Michelle McIlveen MLA, Northern Ireland's Agriculture Minister, Trevor Lockhart, Fane Valley chief executive and William McConnell, Fane Valley chairman.