Highland Meats’ customer base has grown significantly across local, UK and international markets thanks to a desire for premium, high quality Scottish meat which benefits from the world leading Scotch Beef PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) mark. The £12m investment will enhance production efficiency and provide capacity for new products. There are improvements throughout the facility including deboning and packaging technology and a focus on improved environmental performance at the site.
The investment was supported by Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government, in a commitment to the long-term future of the plant and the wider meat processing sector which is worth over £1bn to the Scottish economy.
Dawn Meats has been involved in Scotland since it acquired Highland Meats in 1986, working with a network of over 1,000 farmer suppliers.
Niall Browne, CEO of Dunbia’s parent company Dawn Meats, said:
“It is an honour to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at Highland Meats, and we thank her along with representatives from Quality Meat Scotland, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, local producer suppliers and customers for joining us in the opening of our upgraded facility. Dawn Meats has had a strong presence in Scotland for over 35 years and we look forward to enhancing the relationships we have built with the community, customers, and suppliers, which this investment at Dunbia Highland Meats will allow us to achieve.”
Jane McHarg, General Manager at Highland Meats, said:
“This investment, with support from Scottish Enterprise, is part of our ongoing commitment to Highland Meats and the wider Scottish meat industry. We are immensely proud to have a strong network of local producers who allow us to offer the highest quality Scotch Beef PGI products to our customers. We are confident that this investment will underpin further expansion of our Scottish Beef business.”
Dunbia has a long pedigree in maintaining the highest standards of butchery and training in the meat processing industry and was in 2021 named Training Partner of the Year at the Scottish Craft Butchery Training Awards. Most recently the company was named Meat, Poultry and Seafood Manufacturing Company of the Year at the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2022.
