November 25, 2009

Irish red meat firm to expand facilities

Doherty & Gray, a Northern Ireland red meat company, has announced plans to build a GBP1.25 million (US$2 million) expansion to its facilities that will increase production.

The company is receiving GBP750,000 (US$1.2 million) in funding from the Bank of Ireland and GBP500,000 from (US$830,900) the European Agricultural and Forestry Processing & Marketing Grant (PMG) Scheme.

The expansion will increase production by 80 percent and allows the company to deliver much larger retail contracts to customers including major UK retailers.

The firm is trying to increase its retail market share for its sausage and burger brands Saints and Scholars, Hulls and Prima Valley and plans to increase exports to the Republic of Ireland.

Seamus Doherty, a director of the company, said the project is key to supporting the company's business through its next phase of growth.