Latest news with #Kepak
Agriland
11-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Kepak receives formal approval for climate targets
Irish food company Kepak Group has received formal approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its climate goals. These targets include a 52.3% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, equivalent to eliminating the annual emissions of over 15,000 homes. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from sources a company owns or controls, such as fuel combustion in company vehicles or manufacturing processes. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from energy purchased and used, including electricity, heat, or steam. Kepak Kepak is aiming to reach net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050. This SBTi approval confirms Kepak's alignment with the 'most ambitious' 1.5°C pathway outlined by the Paris Agreement. Kepak now joins global food companies, including McDonald's and Tesco, that have received approval for science-based climate targets. 'This is a significant milestone for Kepak as we continue to accelerate our sustainability journey,' Rebecca Thomson, head of sustainability at Kepak Group, said. 'Our targets are not just numbers – they reflect real, measurable action. We are grateful to our partners at Rowan Engineering, the Carbon Trust, and others who have supported us in reaching this point. This is only the beginning,' she added. Tiphaine Aires, associate director with the Carbon Trust, said that 'as a primary processor, Kepak plays a critical role in both supporting and advocating for farm decarbonisation initiatives'. Climate According to Kepak, the company has already delivered 'substantial progress' in reducing emissions driven by a strategy built on three core pillars: site efficiency, heat recovery and electrification, and on-site renewable energy generation. From 2018-2024, the group has achieved a 40% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, along with an 8% reduction in Scope 3 livestock GHG intensity. Over the period, there has been a 29% reduction in water use per tonne of product and 54% renewable electricity across operations (target: 100% by 2030). The group added that there has been a 22% increase in regenerative agriculture practices on beef farms in Ireland and the UK. Kepak's emission reduction strategy includes new technology being deployed at the group's Athleague site targeting a reduction of at least 90% in site heating emissions. Wind turbines at Kepak Cork and Merthyr supply 40% and 14% of their electricity needs, respectively. With approximately 12–15% of additional Scope 1 and 2 reductions required by 2030, Kepak is pursuing further deployment of wind, solar, and anaerobic digestion (AD) infrastructure. There will also be an expansion of heat pump installations across sites, deep retrofitting for energy and process efficiency and continued investment in farm-level carbon reduction programmes. Established in 1966, Kepak now has a turnover of €1.8 billion and employs over 4,500 people. The group operates 14 manufacturing facilities throughout Ireland and the UK with sales offices in Europe, the US and Asia.
Agriland
09-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Sheep trade: Spring lamb prices fall below €9.00/kg
This week's sheep trade has seen offers for spring lambs fall below €9.00/kg at all the key sheep factories. Up to 20c/kg has been cut from spring lamb prices, and many of the processors are less interested in hoggets as markets have now moved on to this year's lambs. Procurement staff have told Agriland that there are 'reasonably good numbers of spring lambs' coming available and these lambs are generally all arriving well finished with good carcasses. This week, Kepak is quoting €8.65/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €8.80/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This offer is down 20c/kg since last week. The Athleague, Co. Roscommon-based processor is quoting €7.00/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for hoggets up to 23kg carcass weight leaving €7.15/kg on offer here. This price offer is back 25c/kg from last Tuesday. Kepak is quoting €4.80 and €4.90/kg for cull ewes. Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.70/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, leaving €8.90/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This price is down 10c/kg since last Tuesday. The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are quoting €7.00/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, leaving €7.20/kg on offer here to 23kg carcass weight. This offer is down 30c/kg since last week. ICM is quoting €4.75/kg for cull ewes – down 25c/kg since last week. Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €8.60/kg for spring lambs and €5.30/kg for cull ewes. Kildare Chilling has no official quotes this week but farmer-sources have told Agriland the factory is paying approximately €8.80/kg for spring lambs, €7.30/kg for QA hoggets and €5.00/kg for QA cull ewes. Sheep trade at Kilkenny Mart There were 450 sheep on offer at Kilkenny Mart today (Monday, June 9), with spring lamb prices described as 'disappointing and €20-30/head behind 2024 prices at this time of year,' according to auctioneer George Candler. The top call for spring lambs in the sale was €220/head or €4.31/kg for a pen of 10 lambs with an average weight of 51kg.
Agriland
03-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Sheep trade: Eid festival fails to bring expected price rises
This week's sheep trade sees some of the stronger spring lamb, hogget and cull ewe prices reduced from last Monday's price offers as the Muslim festival of Eid al Adha on Friday, June 6, has failed to bring any factory price positivity. Speaking to Agriland, Tullow Mart's Eric Driver said that a change in the interpretation of a rule last year has had an impact on the live trade for Irish lambs going to mainland Europe. The mart manager said that this year, the export demand was only for lambs going direct to slaughter as opposed to previous years where lambs could go for further feeding. This, he said, reduced the window of the alternative-market opportunity to a shorter period of time. Driver said: 'A €10/head premium was available. The 47-53kg ram lambs were making €4.30/kg, that's €197 for 46kg. A 46kg ewe or ram lamb today, €186 would be a very good price. 'The most important point is we took away a little bit of independence from the meat industry for the last 10 days.' Sheep trade: Factory price offers This week, Kepak is quoting €9.00/kg for Quality Assured (QA) spring lambs up to 21kg. This is the same price offer here as last Monday. The Athleague, Co. Roscommon-based factory is quoting €7.40/kg for QA hoggets up to 23kg carcass weight. Kepak is quoting €5.00-5.10/kg for cull ewes. Irish Country Meats (ICM), which is currently running a competition for young sheep farmers, is quoting €8.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, leaving €9.00/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This price is back €0.20c/kg from last Monday. The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based factories are quoting €7.30/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, leaving €7.50/kg on offer here for hoggets up to 23kg carcase weight. ICM is quoting €5:00/kg for cull ewes. Kildare Chilling has no official quotes for this week however, Agriland understands the outlet is paying farmers up to €9.00/kg for spring lambs, €7.20/kg for hoggets and €5.00/kg for cull ewes. Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €8.80/kg for spring lambs and €5.30/kg for cull ewes. Sheep kill Sheep kill numbers continue to trend below last year, with the 2025 cumulative sheep kill down 17% or 161,000 head from the same time of last year. 33,000 sheep were slaughtered in week 20 this year, down 18% from the 41,000 sheep slaughtered in the same week of last year.
Press and Journal
30-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Scotland's 12 best steaks maturing in Portlethen
About 150 beef producers across Scotland entered the latest Kepak McIntosh Donald-Tesco steak competition. Judge Scott Jarron chose his 12 favourite cuts of meat at Kepak McIntosh Donald's site at Portlethen. These will be cooked and judged for a final time on the Tesco stand at next month's Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh. Scott is the co-owner of Broughty Ferry butchers Scott Brothers. He was helped in his difficult task of whittling the entries down to just 12 steaks by his son, Thomas. Alan Brown, primary operations director, Kepak McIntosh Donald, described the initial entries as a 'fabulous show of steaks'. This made the judging process 'very hard,' he said, adding: 'It was an excellent show of quality.' Thanking all participants and Kepak McIntosh Donald's 'loyal and dedicated' suppliers of 'top-class' beef and lamb, Mr Brown said the business had enjoyed 'excellent' growth over the past few years. Kepak Group processes hundreds of thousands of cattle annually across its UK and Irish operations. Its McIntosh Donald business, based in Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, is the largest beef and lamb processor in Scotland. Kepak McIntosh Donald is on track for processing around 100,000 cattle this year. Tesco is one of the firm's key customers and the steak competition partnership dates back to the late 1990s. Last year's title title was awarded jointly to a pair of Aberdeenshire producers. The Grubb family of Mountpleasant, Ardallie, Mintlaw, shared the top prize with John and Brian Troup, from Southbank Farm, Skene, Westhill. The final round of judging for this year's competition will take place on Friday June 20. Kepak McIntosh Donald procurement manager Ewan Hutcheson explained that by then the 12 competing steaks will each have completed a 30-day maturation process. There are four finalists from Aberdeen-Angus cattle, with eight from continental breeds. Messrs I&A Beaton, East Quartains, Banchory (A-A cross heifer, 353.2kg, R4L, 21 months and 24 days); E Buchan, Glenisla, Torphins (A-A cross stot, 320.8kg, R4L, 23 months and 12 days); Grubb Brothers, Moutpleasant, Ardallie, Mintlaw (A-A cross heifer, 312.1kg, R4L 13 months and 24 days); W Barr & Co, Thirlestane Farm, Lauder (A-A cross heifer, 276.2kg, R4L, 20 months and 18 days). A&C Watson, Glasslaw Farm, Stonehaven (Limousin cross heifer, 360.3kg, R4L, 22 months and 15 days); IJ Blackhall & Sons, Milton of Durris, near Banchory (Simmental cross heifer, 385kg, R4L, 19 months and 16 days); GM Masson, Denhead Farm, Catterline, near Stonehaven (Charolais cross heifer, 394.5kg, -U4L, 23 months and 23 days); J&M Troup, Southbank Farm, Skene, Westhill (Simmental cross heifer, 324.3kg, -U4L, 21 months and 11 days); D Sutherland & Co, Middleton of Brims, Forss, Thurso (Simmental cross stot, 365.8kg, -U4L, 15 months and 11 days); Messrs D Coghill & Sons, Skinnet Farm, Halkirk (Charolais cross heifer, 325.2kg, -U4L, 21 months and 10 days); J&J Watt, Stoneyhill, Keith Hall, near Inverurie (Limousin cross heifer, 350.1kg, -U4L, 22 months and 28 days); JS Baird & Son, Lurdenlaw Farm, Kelso (Limousin cross heifer, 339kg, R4L, 23 months and 10 days).
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
How supermarket packaging is shaping beef carcass weights
Kepak director says an R+ or R-3= is 'a good performing animal' and the ideal fat cover is a 3+ or 4+ Kepak's retail focus within Ireland and the UK is directly influencing carcass selection as it needs to ensure striploin cuts fit neatly into specific-sized packaging trays. Kepak commercial director Chris Watson told farmers at a Knowledge Transfer event in Teagasc Grange and Kepak Farm in Meath that his customers 'have required specifications' and 'want a certain-sized animal'.
