Lamb stored in TFI Stawell’s new cold storage facility.

THOMAS Food International’s Stawell plant is now fully equipped to market Australian lamb with improved eating quality.

After nearly four years of development at the plant, TFI managing Darren Thomas said the plant is moving, with further investment, toward more than doubling the production of the original plant.

“We’ve spent $85 million on a state-of-the-art cold store to allow us to grow production at the facility for principal customer Woolworths and our businesses around the globe.

“We’ll ultimately take it to a two-shift facility which will be an increase of more 100 percent of what it was processing when we bought it.”

When TFI bought the Frew family’s plant at Stawell it was processing about 4500 lambs a day, with the capacity to process more than 6000 lambs, sheep and goats a day, employing about 500 at full production. Recent developments have created 100 new jobs, bringing the abattoir workforce to 600.

A Victorian Government media release last week said the plant is currently processing about 1.5 million lambs a year and this is expected to almost double to more than 2.3 million a year.

Mr Thomas said the Stawell plant was one of the first to have DEXA capability in Australia and it now is also using hook tracking and probes to grade lambs on intramuscular fat content, a major factor in eating quality.

He said TFI was in the early stages of developing an export market for lamb in two IMF ranges – 4-6pc and 6pc-plus.

“And we’re in the midst of rolling that out globally with our customers.”

Mr Thomas said TFI is working with a close group of producers to move towards a grid payment system based on eating quality criteria.

“It’s what the industry is asking for, so that’s why we are investing the money in these sorts of areas.”

Mr Thomas said there will be further developments in the slaughtering area and boning room.

“We are in the process of designing a new boning room.

“There is going to be further investment to allow us to create that increased capacity.”

He said TFI had made a commitment to invest about $120 million in the plant.

Despite the recent difficult seasons and the likely impact on sheep numbers, Mr Thomas said the company had great faith in the industry and its resilience.

“We’ve got a lot of faith in the industry here and we believe there is a great opportunity for our industry moving forward for Australia as an exporter.

“We are long-term committed investors and participants,” he said.

“We see there are great opportunities and we need farmers to come along and partner with us.

“We investing a lot of money upfront so I hope that gives the producers out there a lot of heart that we see a future in the industry.”

Mr Thomas said the TFI Stawell plant gained access into China recently and he is excited by the advent of a free trade agreement with the European Union.

“In my 30 years in the industry, I’ve never seen more demand for protein globally.

“We’ve got a great diversified customer base around the world, we produce a great product and I’m very optimistic.”

TFI chief operating officer Tom Davies extended the company’s gratitude to the Victorian Government for its funding support towards the development of cold storage facilities, which significantly enhances our capacity on site and the creation of local job opportunities.

Minister for Regional Victoria Jaclyn Symes the important expansion will nearly double Thomas Foods’ production capacity and provide a range of employment opportunities for the people of Stawell and the broader Grampians community.

Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora said Thomas Foods’ Stawell abattoir plays an important role in Victoria’s vibrant food and fibre sector.