Chicken sector 'is benefiting from horsemeat crisis'

“The horsemeat crisis has put much more emphasis on British production – particularly the poultry industry,”​ said Julian Wild, the firm’s head of food group, in this video interview, filmed at the Fengrain conference, near Peterbrough last week.

“The UK poultry sector has benefited from question marks over beef.” ​The extent of that benefit was revealed by major investment programmes launched by key industry players, said Wild.

Poultry processing hub​

Cargill’s recent decision to invest £35M to upgrade its poultry processing hub​ in Hereford may not have happened without the horsemeat crisis, he added. The money will be spent on improving efficiencies, upgrading technologies and installing the latest equipment at its Hereford factory.

In this wide-ranging interview, Wild also discussed public health policy and supermarket food promotions. 

At the same conference, Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University London, warned that the UK food and drink industry was facing a public health and environmental crisis​ partly of its own making.

Watch out for more reports from the Fengrain conference in our sister title Food Manufacture​​.