CRANSWICK has reported poultry revenues up 30.8% in its results for the 52 weeks to 26 March 2022.
Poultry now accounts for 20% of total group revenue at Cranswick following expansion at its new processing plant in Eye, Suffolk, and the recovery of food service revenues.
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Capacity is now 1.4 million birds a week at the plant, supporting strong demand from the site’s ‘anchor customer’, Cranswick said in its year-end report.
£3m has been spent increasing the number of birds that the firm produces, while a further £3m has been spent on automation.
Cooked poultry volumes were ahead of the prior year and “comfortably ahead” of pre-pandemic levels, Cranswick said.
A new £32m breaded poultry facility in Hull is now fully commissioned, producing ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat poultry products.
Recall
The results note that the presence of salmonella was found in a “limited number of cooked chicken products” prepared in the cooked poultry facility in Hull.
“As a precautionary measure, we asked our customers to withdraw any of their products containing our Ready-to-Eat chicken produced during the affected period.
“The cost of this event cannot yet be reasonably estimated. However, post-mitigation, it is expected that the impact will not be material to the Group.”
Group results
Across the group, revenues exceeded £2bn with adjusted pre-tax profits at £137m, up from £130m a year earlier.
Adam Couch, Cranswick’s chief executive, said: “In a year which has been unprecedented in terms of the scale and breadth of challenges we have faced, we have delivered our strategy at pace and our long-term growth plan remains firmly on track.”
“We have worked tirelessly to support our customers while continuing to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues across the business.
