The British poultry giant has revealed that it will invest around £10 million in a series of improvements designed to make its Telford site “one of the most advanced in Europe”.
This significant sum will see the installation of the “latest generation” of automated de-boning technology, which Avara says will increase production volumes and improve the overall efficiency of the site.
According to the food manufacturer, the new technology will also create skilled job opportunities for those looking to work with “cutting-edge technology” and oversee automation.
The Telford investment forms part of Avara’s wider investment plan, which will see £100 million spent over the next three years to strengthen its UK operations, with £40 million earmarked for 2026 alone.
The investment will include significant upgrades across the company’s chicken supply chain, including facilities in Brackley, Wednesbury and Hereford, alongside the changes in Telford.
Avara’s site in Telford has been open since 1998 and underwent a multi-million-pound expansion and refurbishment in 2014.
The facility specialises in portioning whole chickens and packing them for supermarket shelves. It is currently capable of portioning 1.75 million chickens per week.
The announcement follows a summer of uncertainty during which the resilience of the UK food supply chain has repeatedly been called into question.
Commenting on the investment, site manager Pete McMillan MBE said: “We have a long and happy history in Telford and this is an exciting time for everyone.
“This site has been widely recognised as one of the most advanced of its kind and this latest investment is a commitment to its future and retaining that status.”
Recent analysis published by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) sounded the alarm over the situation, revealing that the UK’s food self-sufficiency was lower in 10 of 11 categories than it was 30 years ago.
This follows similar warnings from rival poultry giant 2 Sisters Food Group, whose owner and president, Ranjit Boparan, strongly criticised the state of the UK planning system, as well as what he perceived to be poor infrastructure and the high cost of doing business.
Avara chief executive Chris Hall added: “This is an ambitious UK investment programme that will build on our existing position as a strong and sustainable partner to our retail and restaurant customers; supplying affordable and locally sourced poultry, produced to the high standards that British consumers demand.”
