News
Plans to increase capacity at a top meat business in the Tees Valley are set to create new market opportunities for farmers and free up hanging space in abattoirs across the region.
Darlington-based Country Valley Foods – which supplies quality beef, lamb, pork, poultry, bacon, game and delicatessen products across Northern England - is to expand its maturation and processing facilities to four times their current size, allowing the firm to handle 75 cattle per week compared to the current 15.
The move will create new jobs and training opportunities and give more farmers the chance to supply meat to the company’s premium ‘Grand Reserve’ brand. It will also see cattle moving through the region’s abattoirs more quickly by reducing the time the beef has to stay in the abattoir before it is moved to a purpose built, long-term maturation chiller.
The plans also mean that, for the first time in the region, maturation, processing and bespoke packaging facilities will be available on contract for farms and businesses wanting to market their own products directly.
The expansion is being supported with more than £100,000 of investment from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) in the region, managed by One North East.
RDPE is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, with the aim of delivering targeted support to rural businesses and rural communities. It is managed in the region by One North East, Natural England and the Forestry Commission.
James Munro, Country Valley Managing Director, said: “This additional investment from RDPE enables us to further develop our premium Grand Reserve Beef and Lamb brand and, in conjunction with local farmers, produce some of the finest beef in the country.”
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One North East rural board member, Ian Brown, said: “This investment goes much further than simply expanding the physical premises. Along with the extra capacity come significant training opportunities for farmers and butchers, and benefits for abattoirs right across the region.
“We’re also delighted that businesses wanting to contract maturation, processing and packaging facilities so that they can sell their products themselves will, for the first time in the North East, have those services available.”
Country Valley’s expansion will be made possible by relocating some of its existing services to a new site, then converting the current premises with new maturation chillers; railing, weighing and traceability systems; a beef line; processing hall; and a bespoke computerised weighing and labelling system.
The work is expected to create the equivalent of 6 new full time jobs, and is set to begin this month. The new facilities should be up and running by the end of the year.
The RDPE investment being managed by One North East combines larger projects to help many businesses in different sectors of the rural economy - including bioenergy and land-based skills, and projects adding value to agricultural and forestry products - with smaller investments to help individual businesses to start-up, grow or diversify. Rural community partnerships are shaping how at least 25% of the funding is invested themselves, using the LEADER approach.
North East Red Meat Task Group Coordinator, Sam Jones, said “This is a very much needed project that will not only help Country Valley but will also help those farmers and other businesses that choose to use the new services.
“Chiller capacity is the main limiting factor in the slaughter process; this development can only be good by freeing up space at local abattoirs.”
Sue Scott, Regional Manager with English Farming and Food Partnerships, said: “This increased capacity at a pinch-point in the red meat supply chain is being created at a time when regional producers are eagerly seeking premium outlets for their produce. These new facilities should prove a spur to such business development and English Farming and Food Partnerships will be delighted to assist beef and lamb producers to capitalise on their creation.”
For more information on RDPE in North East England, visit www.rdpenortheast.co.uk
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For more information on One North East, contact Claire Mason (press office) on 0191 2296429 or 07765220755, or by emailing Claire.mason@onenortheast.co.uk
For more information on Country Valley Foods, contact Ruth Conner, Marketing Manager on 01325 720888
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