The Co-operative and Northern Irish Dunbia - good for beef
The Co-operative Group, the UK food retailer, and Dunbia, the leading Northern Irish meat processor, have formed a new business partnership that will see Dunbia, headquartered in Dungannon, county Tyrone, supplying Hereford beef for the retailer's Truly Irresistible premium range.
The deal with Dunbia has been backed by the Northern Ireland Hereford Breeders Association. Dunbia will source Hereford beef from suppliers in Northern Ireland and Great Britain for Co-operative stores in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
To be eligible for the scheme and for the producers to achieve bonus payments, cattle must be farm quality assured and comply with agreed weights and classifications.
The Hereford breed was selected by the Co-operative Group for its recognised eating qualities.
Matt Hood, head of chilled at the Co-operative Group, says: "All our fresh beef is 100 per cent British, and we have always been strong supporters of the UK farming industry. We have a policy of sourcing and promoting meat and poultry from animals reared in the UK wherever possible.
"This producer group scheme for premium beef is a great step forward, and will enable us to offer our customers a consistent, quality product by working closely with our partner farmers to ensure even more robust supply chains and traceability.
"With its acknowledged eating qualities, Hereford beef will be a great addition to our premium Truly Irresistible range."
Jim Dobson, Dunbia managing director, adds: "This scheme from the Co-operative Group will create an important new market for Hereford bred cattle. We anticipate strong market demand for this high-quality beef and we encourage farmers who meet the criteria to take part in the scheme."
Dunbia is among the largest meat processors in the UK and Ireland, serving major customers throughout the British Isles and mainland Europe. The company is a family-owned and managed business with nine processing sites across the UK and Ireland, currently employing around 3,200 people and processing 320,000 cattle, 1.7 million lambs and 250,000 pigs annually.
The company is also one of the largest retail packers in the UK, processing around 1,300 tons per week, with the capacity to expand, supplying products to retail multiples, wholesalers and foodservice operations. The company also exports beef and lamb to many countries, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland. Hides, skins and offals are exported to Europe, Turkey, China, Vietnam and several other countries.
The company's main plant at Dungannonis a cluster of three facilities engaged in the slaughter, de-boning and packing of beef and lamb products. Dunbia (Dungannon) has the capacity to process over 1,500 cattle and 3,000 lambs per week; products supplied include vacpac primals along with shelf ready products such as mince, diced meat and added value products. Dunbia (Dungannon) has a large and impressive customer portfolio as well as a dedicated New Product Development facility.
Dunbia also has a pork processing plant at Ballymena in county Antrim, which has the capacity to process 3,000 pigs per week.