Beef processing facility in Waterford

Dawn Meats officially opens €14.5 million beef processing facility in Waterford

Facility built to service €300 million contract to process Irish beef for McDonald’s

On Monday last, 25th June, Dawn Meats officially opened its new purpose built, state of the art, beef processing facility in Carroll’s Cross, Co Waterford. Dawn Meats invested €14.5 million in the facility, which was also supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, through Enterprise Ireland.

The company announced last month that it had been awarded a €300 million contract to process up to 18,000 tonnes of Irish beef annually for McDonald’s, which led to the commissioning of the new facility. The beef processing facility will produce up to three million hamburgers per day, which will be exported abroad to McDonald’s markets throughout Europe.

The 40,000 square foot facility, which includes the very latest energy efficient technology and the longest freezer line of its kind in Europe, was officially opened for production today by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. International executives from McDonald’s were also present including José Armario, Executive Vice President of World Wide Supply Chain and Karl Fritz, Chief Supply Chain Officer, McDonald’s Europe.

Speaking at the announcement today, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: ‘As Ireland continues on the path to recovery and growth, it is essential that we play to our economic strengths. The success of Irish agri-food companies such as Dawn Meats and their ability to develop and grow relationships with leading global companies such as McDonald’s is extremely important as it helps to create jobs at home through Irish food exports. These investments are a huge vote of confidence in Dawn Meats and also in Ireland as a location to do business. The Government will continue to build on Ireland's strong reputation as a source of natural, high quality food, drink and ingredients. Today is a good day for Dawn Meats, for McDonald’s and also for Waterford and the south-east, with the creation of 65 new jobs at this state of the art facility”.’

Niall Browne, Chief Executive of Dawn Meats said that the opening was a hugely important step in a period of development for the company: ‘Today’s opening marks the beginning of an exciting new phase of development in our relationship with McDonald’s. We are now seeing the vertical integration of the beef supply chain, with supply, slaughter and processing now all taking place in Ireland, leading to increased value add and enabling our company to create and sustain Irish jobs. that our customer requires’.

Adrian Crean, Managing Director of McDonald’s Ireland said: ‘McDonald’s is very happy to source Irish beef which is highly regarded internationally as a quality, grass-fed product. Dawn Meats had to demonstrate quality, reliability and the ability to meet McDonald’s high standards to win this contract. We are very pleased to see this state of the art facility opening today and we look forward to working with Dawn Meats and the 18,000 Bord Bia Quality Assured Irish farmers who supply them, over the coming years’.

Pictured at the Dawn Meats Facility in County Waterford was from left Karl Fritz, Chief Supply

Chain Officer, McDonald's Europe; Jose Armario, Global Supply Chain, McDonalds; An Taoiseach

Enda Kenny and Adrian Crean, Managing Director, McDonalds Ireland.

Picture Dylan Vaughan