December 16, 2004

CPF to Establish Chilled-Chicken Plant in UK

Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) will build a chilled-chicken factory in the United Kingdom next year, a $1 million (Bt76 million) investment which will increase the company's access to the British chicken market.

According to Adirek Sripratak, president and chief executive officer of CPF, the plant would manufacture only chicken products initially, with cooked ingredients to be imported from Thailand.

The plant will be in eastern England, with products distributed throughout the UK.

Adirek said that CPF "foresees not only high business potential, but also a high rate of return on our investment in chilled production in the UK". The company is one of Thailand's top three chicken exporters.

He added that it would increase the value of other of its product lines.

Thai chicken exporters have been trying to find ways to offset reduced revenue caused by the bird-flu outbreak.

Major importers, including the European Union, have banned raw chicken meat from Thailand.