Dawn Meats and Dunbia to set up JV in UK

Dawn Meats has signed a strategic partnership with Dunbia to set up a joint venture (JV) in the UK.

The transaction is subject to approval by competition authorities.

Comprising the UK operations of the two companies, the JV will be able to provide better services to existing farmer suppliers and customers across the retail, manufacturing, wholesale and foodservice sectors.

The JV will offer customers regionally sourced solutions for both beef and lamb from 15 facilities across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Dawn Meats will also separately buy Dunbia’s operations in the Republic of Ireland.

Dunbia CEO Jim Dobson will be CEO of the JV, while Dawn Meats CEO Niall Browne will serve as executive chairman.

The JV will operate from Dunbia’s headquarters in Dungannon, Northern Ireland.

Dawn Meats CEO Niall Browne said: “We are both family businesses with a deep connection to farming and a culture and business ethos that is centered on quality and sustainability. Given the uncertainty posed by Brexit, this partnership should further underpin the competiveness of both operations to the benefit of all stakeholders in the UK, Ireland and across Europe.

“In our key operating markets, we will be involved in three leading national businesses with Dawn Meats in Ireland, Dunbia in the UK, and Elivia in France, with our cooperative partners Terrena.”

Dunbia CEO Jim Dobson said: “This is the right strategic partnership for Dunbia’s staff and customers, and sees us joining with a company with a shared heritage of excellence in the production of premium beef and lamb products. The new UK JV confirms our future as a leading supplier in the UK market. In a consolidating industry this deal makes strategic sense for both companies, our customers and our farmer suppliers.”

The two businesses collectively process 900,000 cattle and 2.6 million sheep a year.

Dawn Meats is a premium meat processor and supplier of Irish and British red meat to a range of supermarket, food service and restaurants businesses in Ireland and the UK and exports to 48 countries worldwide.

Dawn Meats also holds a 49% share in Elivia, which processes approximately 500,000 cattle a year.

Dunbia is a leading processor of beef and lamb with nine facilities across the UK and Ireland, and employs around 4,000 people.

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Image: Dawn Meats partners with Dunbia to create a new joint venture in UK. Photo: courtesy of Dunbia.