Meat processor Dawn Meats is set to purchase fellow processor Kildare Chilling, Agriland understands.

The deal will have to go through the statutory checks by the Competition and Consumer Protection (CCPC) before being finalised.

Although the deal has not yet been formally announced, this is expected imminently.

Kildare Chilling is one of the main sheep processors in the country, accounting for around 20% of the national sheep throughput.

Its plant is located in Kildare town, adjacent to the M7 motorway.

The slaughter halls at Kildare Chilling Co. have the capacity to kill 120,000 cattle and 500,000 lambs per annum.

Dawn Meats to invest in net zero

In other recent Dawn Meats ventures, the company last month announced an investment plan to help it meet a target of net zero emissions target by 2040.

The meat processor said that it is aiming to have a net-zero supply chain “as soon as possible”.

Under ‘Plan Four Zero’, an initial €100 million investment will be made across four key areas: Environment, farming, food, and society.

Dawn Meats said that this approach takes account of the entire supply chain.

In the near term, the processor is aiming to reduce its direct emissions (emissions from its own business processes) and certain indirect emissions by 59% by 2030, through investment in technology to “transform” the business’ plant infrastructure, transport, thermal energy generation, and refrigeration systems.