Meat processor expands in Northern Ireland

Meat processor Triple Eight Proteins is expanding in Northern Ireland with the aim of growing exports of pork and poultry products. The company is a subsidiary of Food-Bridge Ltd, a Cork meat exporting company with an established international network. The parent company is making the investment.

The investment will create 18 new jobs in Northern Ireland, including three at management level, over the next three years. Triple Eight Proteins currently employs 12 people. The company is already exporting its total output to customers in developing markets.

such as Hong Kong, West Africa, South Africa and Eastern Europe This investment will enable it to expand manufacturing and to develop its capacity and capability for accelerated growth overseas.

Flor McCarthy, Triple Eight's managing director, commenting on the investment, says: "Our decision to set up the business in Northern Ireland was to test the market potential of the products we proposed to provide.

"The decision has proved an outstanding success and we now selling 100 per cent of our output to markets beyond the United Kingdom and Ireland.

"As a direct result of this success in a relatively short space of time, we've now decided to expand the business both in terms of capacity and export capability. The investment programme that we are now implementing involves a significant expansion of our manufacturing and other operations.

"This investment will lead to significant improvements in productivity, cost efficiency and overall competitiveness in the markets that we have targeted for growth. From personal experience, I am confident that we can grow sales quickly and profitably in Asia, West Africa, South Africa and Eastern Europe.

"Our overall objective is to triple exports by 2014 through an expansion of sales in existing markets and marketing initiatives to develop business in other regions where there is demand for the range of quality products that we offer particularly to foodservice operators.

"We are also drawing on the experience and network of Food-Bridge in our export marketing activities," adds Mr McCarthy.

Pic Caption:Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster is pictured with Flor McCarthy, Managing Director of Triple Eight Proteins (left) and Milton Edwards, Production Manager. Pic was taken by Harrison photography.