The poultry processor invested £25M in its farms run by Hook 2 Sisters – a joint venture between the owners of PD Hook and 2 Sisters – and £2.5M in the PD Hook hatchery at Kentisbeare.
The investment was used to construct new sites, as well as rebuild and refurbish existing poultry houses on 2 Sisters sites.
A 2 Sisters spokesman said: “The investment will future-proof our south west supply chain, and sends a clear message of intent to growers and suppliers in the region.
‘Processing over 1M birds a week’
“The increase in the growing base means that our Willand, Devon facility is now processing over 1M birds a week, which is a fantastic achievement by our colleagues and a new milestone for the site.”
The investment created 17 jobs last year at Hook 2 Sisters. Hook 2 Sisters general manager Chris Chater said he knew of other agri-partners that had taken on extra staff too, after the investment in new equipment.
“The investment in our growing base has injected fresh optimism and provided our outdoor farmers with the confidence to grow their business alongside ours,” said Chater.
“The hatchery extension has allowed us to grow by 50% in the last 12 months with the capacity to supply more chicks in the future.”
‘Grow 50% in the last 12 months’
2 Sisters also invested in a viewing gallery at one of its standard farms, to showcase its high welfare standards, said the processor. The gallery will also be used to show how chickens are reared, it added.
2 Sisters manages 12 company farms in the south west, and more than 130 independent contract growers. They range from standard to freedom food, and free-range to organic.
Meanwhile, last month 2 Sisters also invested £5M in its frozen fish processing business, Five Star Fish. The investment came after it won a contract with Marks & Spencer last year.
2 Sisters’ south west investment – at a glance
- £25M at Hook 2 Sisters’ farms
- £2.5M at PD Hook’s Kentisbeare hatchery
- Supply chain increased by a third