One of the island’s biggest poultry producers, Moy Park, has announced a major production milestone, with the company producing six million birds a week for the first time in its 75 year history.
The company, which is Northern Ireland’s biggest employer, has increased production by 20% since 2015 and now supplies 30% of the total UK poultry market.
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Moy Park has 12 processing facilities in Northern Ireland, England, France and Holland and works in partnership with over 800 farms across the UK, who supply poultry to the company.
This includes the completion of a state-of-the-art hatchery in Newark, England. The new facility is one of the first of its kind in Europe and hatches 2.5 million chicks per week – making it the largest single-build hatchery in the UK.
David Gibson, Moy Park director of agriculture, put the growth down to steady demand for quality, locally-sourced poultry.
He said: “Reaching six million birds per week is a huge achievement for Moy Park. This growth is testament to our commitment to agricultural and operational excellence and will ensure Moy Park is well-equipped to meet demand for locally-sourced high-quality poultry products.
A key driver of Moy Park’s success is the continued dedication and support of our teams and farmers, and we thank them for their hard work in reaching this milestone.
“By continuing to invest in our industry-leading agricultural base and state-of-the-art processing facilities, along with customer-focused innovation, this latest announcement creates a solid platform for future growth.
“Demand for our products remains strong across all our regions and the business is well-placed to expand on its position as a leading European food company.”