Browns Food Group buys Brechin pork plant
© Tim Scrivener Scotland’s biggest pork processing plant, at Brechin, has been bought by Browns Food Group – a move pig farmers hope will put the plant on track to a brighter future.
The Quality Pork Processors site had been owned by Quality Pork – a collaboration between processor Pilgrim’s Pride UK and farmer co-operatives Scottish Pig Producers and Scotlean.
The acquisition has been welcomed by Quality Meat Scotland, which said it would provide the platform to build a stronger future for the Scottish pig industry.
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The plant is a modern facility, but had a troubled recent history with reduced throughput and the loss of its export licence to China, following a Covid-19 outbreak, leading to downward pressure on prices for farmers.
The purchase will make Browns, which currently operates seven sites across the UK, the largest pork processor in Scotland.
Wayne Godfrey, Browns Food Group chief executive, said: “This acquisition demonstrates our deep commitment to a sustainable Scottish pig industry, for both our customers and consumers of Specially Selected Pork and Scottish Pork.”
“It provides the opportunity for Browns to process high-welfare local pork for our own manufacturing sites, as well as for retail, food-service and wholesale channels.
“In addition, we will reduce food miles with improved logistics, efficiencies and closer management of welfare.”
Localised market presence
Andy McGowan, Scottish Pig Producers managing director, said it was a full sale to Browns Food Group, so the two farmer groups would no longer have official involvement and would revert to being normal suppliers.
“In practical terms, we don’t think it will make a lot of difference compared with what was happening before,” said Mr McGowan.
“While previously there was input at a corporate level, operations were still run broadly between Quality Pork Processors and Pilgrim’s, so going forward it will be Quality Pork Processors and Browns.”
Mr McGowan said he thought it was great news, as it had been challenging for Pilgrim’s to make the plant work within its own setup, particularly following the loss of the Chinese export licence.
“Browns is a far more localised market presence – its main priorities are the Scottish market and that is where it has been very successful with other types of products.
“The export side isn’t quite as central to its success – great if we can get it back and we will keep the efforts up to get the Chinese licence back – but it is not as pivotal as it was before.”