• Silver Fern Farms confirm $17m infrastructure investment in Hawke's Bay.

Silver Fern Farms confirm $17m infrastructure investment in Hawke's Bay.

Silver Fern Farms has confirmed a $17 million capital infrastructure upgrade to its ‘Pacific’ Hawke’s Bay beef processing site which will see ongoing benefits to staff in the region.

The Pacific site will see the build of a new marshalling chiller and upgraded packaging process at the site.

Silver Fern Farms’ Chief Executive Simon Limmer said the upgrade will enable Silver Fern Farms to increase supply of its branded premium grass-fed product ranges into the China and US markets once fully operational in 2021.

“There is strong long-term international demand for Silver Fern Farms’ high-value grass-fed products and this upgrade at our Pacific site will enable us to better service these key international markets.” 

“The increased production of these premium beef products will lift our export earnings and returns to the Hawke’s Bay farming community through premium payments to suppliers and dividends to Co-operative shareholders and suppliers.

“Last year we returned over $230m to farmers supplying the site and over $25m to companies that support the ongoing operation of the site. The flow-on benefits created for rural businesses providing goods and services to Pacific will be significant.”

Silver Fern Farms’ GM Operations Mark Leslie said the upgrade is the largest single investment Silver Fern Farms has made at its Pacific site in recent years. 

“Several plant changes are necessary for us to scale-up our grass-fed programmes production. The upgrade includes a significant extension of the marshalling chiller, with automated rails for staging prior to processing, a reconfiguration of the boning room, and packing and carton handling areas. It is also an opportunity for us to upgrade, modify and relocate equipment at the site.”

The Pacific plant employs 600 people at its seasonal peak, injecting over $31m in wages and salaries to staff.

“The upgrade will also have ongoing employment benefits for 60 staff who are currently employed seasonally for 3 months. This change will extend their employment to 9 months annually. This should provide an annual distribution of $1.5m