FUW Caernarfon meets new meat plant manager

Farmers’ Union of Wales members have met with the manager of Menai Meats Wales Ltd, which has taken over the former Sher Foods abattoir in Caernarfon.

The well attended meeting between Muhammad Ali of Menai Meats Wales Ltd and the Caernarfon county executive committee took place on Monday September 8.

Speaking after the meeting, FUW Caernarfonshire chairman Dafydd Gwyndaf, who farms at Llechwedd Hafod Isaf, near Betws y Coed, said: “The abattoir at Caernarfon has had numerous problems over the years which have affected farm businesses, so there were naturally many questions members wanted to ask the new management.”

Mr Ali told those present that the company hopes to start taking lambs later this month and to build up to around 8,000 lambs a week once the go-ahead has been received from the FSA. The hope is that cattle will start being taken six to eight weeks later, building up to around 300 a week.

Mr Gwyndaf added: “The closure of Welsh Country Foods at Gaerwen left a massive dent in regional slaughtering capacity in North Wales, so we obviously hope that this business gets up off the ground and helps to fill that gap, and does not experience the sort of problems we have previously seen.”