Waitrose launches frozen beef facility to shorten supply chain
Waitrose has begun producing frozen beef from its own dedicated production facility at its Dovecote Park estate as it looks to ensure full traceability and create one of the shortest supply chains among UK supermarkets.
The new facility will result in the retailer managing the entire production process for all fresh and frozen beef – from the cattle, through to the consumer packaging which is directly distributed to Waitrose.
Waitrose said it sources all of its fresh and frozen beef from a known and trusted group of British farmers and that none of the beef is bought on the open market. The retailer added: “This additional investment means that, just like Waitrose fresh beef, all of Waitrose frozen beef will now be managed exclusively by Dovecote Park. No other retailer is able to source all of its beef from one supplier.”
The new facility completes Dovecote Park’s ability to produce all Waitrose beef products, from beef burgers, meatballs, joints, steak and mince to producing the beef used in fresh and frozen ready meals.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Dovecote Park has been supplying Waitrose with fresh beef products since 1997. The retailer said the new frozen facility has created further job opportunities in the local area.
Heather Jenkins, buying director for meat, poultry, fish, frozen, dairy and agriculture, Waitrose, said: “We’ve a long heritage of working with Dovecote Park to produce high quality and tasty meat, and we’re delighted that this new frozen facility means we can get all our fresh and frozen beef from one source. More importantly for our customers is that it’s fully traceable as it’s controlled by one processor, which shortens the supply chain and gives our customers total reassurance about where their beef has come from.
“Our customers rightly expect the highest standards of product quality and integrity from us and we won’t let anything stand in the way of delivering this.”
