New million tonne compound feed super mill planned in UK

ABN currently operate 11 mills in the UK and the proposed new mill will have the capacity to produced 1 million tonnes of pig and poultry feed per year. Photo: Ruud Ploeg

Leading British compound feed manufacturer ABN – part of AB Agri – is to build a state-of-the-art pig and poultry feed mill in the East of England. The 1 million tonne UK animal feed mill is the largest investment seen in the sector in the UK, and the investment aims to provide a sustainable solution for an industry currently close to capacity.

ABN believes that with the UK population set to reach 77 million by 2050, pig and poultry production will need to expand to meet the increased demand for protein products. Simon Heath, managing director of AB Agri’s compound feed division, said: “UK agriculture faces exciting opportunities ahead, to meet the demand for food from a growing population, not just domestically but globally too. This demand will drive the need for more protein products, from more productive animals and consequently drive even greater demand for animal feed.

“With an industry operating at near capacity, we are exploring all options to improve and expand our manufacturing capabilities to meet this demand, support our customers long term ambitions for growth, and strengthen our own business too.” he adds.

ABN currently operate 11 mills

ABN currently operate 11 mills in the UK and the proposed new mill will have the capacity to produce 1 million tonnes of pig and poultry feed per year. Mr Heath was unable to give details of timings of when the new mill would open, but said the firm was looking at a variety of sites in the east of England. He said he was confident the mill would be the UK’s biggest and most efficient compound animal feed mill that would deliver improved animal feed quality, reliability, and greater traceability.

A food policy for “Global Britain”
Vertical partnerships across the food chain involving farmers with a detailed understanding of data and closer links with UK universities and research institutes are vital for UK agriculture to thrive in a post-Brexit world.

Jose Nobre, AB Agri’s CEO, added: “This project is transformational and will drive an exciting new future for ABN and the UK’s food and farming businesses. The investment underlines our commitment to investing in the future of agriculture and playing an important role in building our industry’s global reputation.”