Dawn Farms has signed a new agreement with an export value of up to €850m to supply cooked sandwich meats to more than 4000 Subway restaurants across Europe, including the UK.

The contract will run for seven years to 2024 and continues a long relationship between the Subway organisation and Dawn Farms.

Commenting on the agreement, Mike Attwood, Purchasing and Supply Chain Director of EIPC (the Franchisee owned procurement organisation for Subway restaurants in Europe) said that the Subway organisation and EIPC were delighted to continue the very successful relationship with Dawn Farms and with Ireland since 1993.

Larry Murrin, CEO of Dawn Farms, thanked the Subway organisation for its ongoing commitment to Dawn Farms and to Ireland.

In our negotiations with the Subway organisation, they have recognised Dawn Farms’ continued investment in product innovation, our strengths in supply chain consistency and food security, and our vigilance in relation to competitiveness.

“The Subway organisation has ambitious growth plans for new restaurant openings in Ireland, the UK, and across Europe and with this strategic supply agreement these can translate into significant additional export sales for Ireland.”

Founded in Milford Connecticut in 1965, the Subway chain is the world’s largest with more than 44,000 restaurants worldwide.

Headquartered in Naas Co. Kildare and with manufacturing operations in Ireland and the UK, Dawn Farms is one of the leading suppliers of cooked and fermented meat for pizza, sandwich, ready meals and snacks, to international foodservice chains and food manufacturers.

The company was a founding member of Bord Bia’s Origin Green sustainability programme and is the current Irish Exporters Association Food and Drink Exporter of the Year.

The Subway organisation has strong supply links with Ireland sourcing dairy, bread and confectionery products from Irish companies as well as its sandwich meats from Dawn Farms.

“This contract demonstrates that Ireland and the Irish agri-food sector is held in high regard internationally and has the potential to expand its global reach, if we can achieve the right mix of competitiveness and market led innovation,” Murrin said.