Dawn set to pump €25m into new product development
DAWN FARM is to invest €25m at its Co Kildare base, in a major expansion of the food ingredients company’s operations.
The investment programme, which is supported by Enterprise Ireland, will create 150 new jobs over the next five years at Dawn Farm’s meat science and innovation centre outside Naas.
It is understood that the majority of the new positions will be in research roles with the company.
Dawn Farms is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of cooked and fermented meat ingredients to international foodservice chains and food manufacturers.
Larry Murrin, CEO of Dawn Farms, said developing new products to meet changing consumer tastes had been at the heart of the growth of this firm for over 30 years.
“Great ingredients make great food and great ingredients come from outstanding food innovation. Consumers’ tastes are constantly evolving,” Murrin said.
“We are seeing more demand for homestyle authentic meats, new flavours and new snacking options as well as on-going interest in health and wellness across the range of meats that we cook,” he added.
Murrin said the latest investment would enhance the company’s capacity to research trends.
“Developing new products to meet changing consumer tastes has been at the heart of the growth of this firm for over 30 years,” the Dawn Foods CEO said.
He emphasised that €25m investment would be directed at research and development, and expanding the company’s offering to customers.
“Typically the new roles will be at least graduate level, with opportunities for more highly qualified food scientists, meat technologists and those with culinary expertise to join the company,” he said.
The Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said that the Dawn Farms story was a great example for the Irish agri-sector.
“Dawn Farms’ success is based on its strong roots in Ireland, using our brightest and best food scientists to innovate new products and developing long term relationships with major international customers,” she said.