Dawn Farms work flags up variety and sustainability

08-Oct-2015 - Last updated on 09-Oct-2015 at 09:55 GMT

85% of Dawn Farm’s output is exported to over 40 countries

Combining sustainability and versatility has been identified as a growth opportunity by ready-to-eat processor Dawn Farms.

Larry Murrin, chief executive of Dawn Farms, said the company’s research showed that consumers wanted more adventure and variety in their food, with new taste experiences.

“For consumers, meat remains the hero element in most products, and we constantly put taste, health and nutrition, and sustainability at the forefront of product development. Increasingly, we are seeing ingredient trends crossing over between products like sandwiches and pizzas and more demand for punchier tastes as well as spicier meats and sauces.”

He added that consumers want these new tastes to go hand-in-hand with sustainability.

“But they also want reassurance that the food being served to them is produced in a sustainable way with absolute certainty about safety, traceability and animal health and welfare practices,” he said. “They want clear evidence of high-quality, lightly-processed, nutritious ingredients.”

Dawn Farms is participating on Ireland’s Origin Green-themed stand at Anuga and is a founder member of the Origin Green programme, the first nationwide sustainability programme of its kind in the world, run by Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board.

“It provides a verified commitment to sustainability all along the food supply chain,” said Murrin.

As part of this programme, Dawn Farms is a zero waste to landfill company and relative carbon emissions have been cut by 20%. In addition, relative energy usage has been cut by 30%, enough energy saved to power 20,000 homes for a whole year, and relative water usage has been cut by 30%, representing enough water saved to fill 56 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

He added that the company see the best growth opportunities developing in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and emerging nations in Africa and Asia. “The UK market is a leading innovator in the prepared consumer food sector. Other markets tend to watch with interest what is working in the UK and I see that pattern continuing in the years ahead. We have strong long-term relationships with the main players in the UK.”

Dawn Farms employs 600 people at its two Irish plants in Naas, Co. Kildare, and a further 250 at its dedicated UK bacon cooking facility in Northampton. 85% of Dawn Farm’s output is exported to over 40 countries in the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Anuga takes place in Cologne on 10-14 October and includes over 850 meat and meat-based exhibitors.