Freeza Meats increases capacity to meet demand for burgers

Northern Ireland meat processor Freeza Meats (Freeza) has completed its third major expansion with the installation of a new freezing system at its state-of-the-art production facility in Newry, County Down.

The company is a leading supplier of burgers and other associated products to the foodservice and retail sectors in Great Britain. It currently produces over 40 million burgers annually for customers in Britain and is experiencing an increasing demand for its products.

At a cost in excess of £750,000 this system, the first of its kind in Ireland, will provide additional production capacity with lower energy costs.

Eamon Mackle, Freeza's Managing Director, said the £750,000 investment in the latest freezing technology will strengthen the company's market position in Great Britain and gives it a solid platform for future growth.

"In line with our focus on developing a range of quality burgers and other value-added products, we invest extensively in R&D programmes to meet the needs of our discerning customers.

"We currently produce more than 40 million burgers per annum and sell 95 per cent to major retail and foodservice distributors in England, Scotland and Wales.

"Our current customer profile includes Punch Taverns, which has 8,000 pubs, as well as Fairways, Caterforce, Sodexo, Budgens, Londis, Netto and Glendale Frozen Foods to mention a few. Within the next few weeks we will start supplying a new range of burgers to a leading UK retailer with 5,000 stores and 300 wholesale centres."

Freeza Meats has been operating since 1974 and initially supplied meat products in Northern Ireland. In 1988, the company changed direction, partnered with Farmlea Foods as selling agent and entered the very competitive UK beefburger market.

Turnover has increased fivefold and the company is now the only privately-owned, stand-alone burger plant in Northern Ireland.

In 1997, the company won first prize with its lamb kebabs in the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Innovation Awards and last year gained a major award in the prestigious British Frozen Foods Awards with its 100 per cent AberdeenAngus home-style burger.