While it might not surprise readers to hear that the CEO of Cranswick is championing the meat category, it is the role of British meat that Adam Couch is focused on.
At its core, the report ‘Where Great Food Comes From’ sets out a clear argument for stronger investment in UK production at a time of economic and political instability. For Couch, GB’s meat sector has a crucial role to play in addressing these issues, with the CEO adamant it will drive “economic prosperity”, boost food security and create more jobs across the UK.
Cementing his case, the report details the impact Cranswick has made on the UK so far, the opportunities for further growth, and the consequences of failing to take action.
The business, which was set up in East Yorkshire in 1975, has grown to become one of the UK’s leading food producers, supporting 49,900 jobs across the country.
Today, it farms around 20% of British pigs, processes over 32% of British pork, and produces more than 7% of the UK’s chicken. Through its work it has contributed £3.3 billion to UK GDP, generating £850 million in UK tax revenues last year.
The meat giant is also continuing to invest for further growth. Since 2020 it has invested more than £740 million in capital expenditure to improve and renew its facilities, including a record £163.4 million in FY26.
It has now committed to reinvesting around 50% of operating earnings (EBITDA) into infrastructure and growth projects. This includes plans to significantly bolster the production of British chicken and create over 2,000 new jobs.
Underscoring the reasoning behind the report, Couch said: “One of the great strengths of the UK food system is the strong supply of food produced right here in the UK.
“This matters for many reasons, and one of the biggest is the lower environmental impact of sourcing meat here in the UK. We have produced this report to show the role Cranswick plays in this food system, and to contribute to a national discussion about the future of food.”
UK’s meat and poultry consumption
Food security has been discussed across the food sector for many years, but a sustained period of volatility and unrest have pushed it much higher up the agenda.
Britain currently imports over a third of the food it consumes each year, including half of the pork it consumes. Imported products generally come from Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany, revealing a gap for domestic meat producers to fill. Cranswick produces almost a third of British pork, of which 96% is produced for UK consumers.
When it comes to chicken, overall, the UK consumes around 2.4 million tonnes of poultry each year. But it is becoming increasingly challenging for UK producers to meet this growing demand.
The UK processes almost 22 million broiler chickens per week, resulting in self-sufficiency of around 70%. It relies on imports to fill the 30% gap. Last year, the country imported more than twice as much chicken by value as it did in 2020.
Call for more poultry planning support
As a result, a growing number of planning applications have been submitted for new poultry production in the UK. Although these projects are often met with opposition, but the report argues that modern poultry farm design and construction are key in helping to support environmental benefits through more efficient heating and waste management systems, while also enhancing animal welfare conditions.
Writing in the report, Sarah Bradbury, CEO of IGD, warns of a potential decline in production capability in key sectors of UK food and farming: “UK chicken meat production has been an important growth story in domestic agriculture...But this success is now at risk...That is why we have set out a series of urgent actions for government...We also need to fast track the approval process for new poultry sheds”.
The IGD estimates that unlocking barriers in poultry and horticulture could add £1.3 billion in annual production value and create 60,000 jobs by 2030. Without action, it cautions that these sectors could lose £900 million in annual production value and 30,000 jobs by 2030.
The report highlights the IDG’s recent calls on government. These actions include embedding a national spatial plan in the National Planning Policy Framework to identify optimal locations for poultry shed expansion; fast tracking the approval process for new poultry sheds; and further resource for the Animal & Plant Health Agency.
Without this kind of targeted policy, it warns that economic value and jobs will shift overseas.
