A £300,000 investment has been completed at the Kelly Turkeys processing plant enabling it to gain accreditation from the British Retail Consortium.
The plant at Great Baddow, near Chelmsford, Essex, has undergone a major reconstruction during the autumn and has begun processing turkeys again for the premium traditional market.
“The original plant was built in 1994 using second-hand materials and required an increasing amount of maintenance work,” said Paul Kelly, managing director of Kelly Turkeys. “We’re excited about this development which will enable the plant to readily meet BRC’s audit requirements. It will also open up new opportunities for further processing in the future.”
The exterior fabric and internal walls and ceilings are now based on the latest food-grade, composite panels, facilitating cleaning and improving insulation. A new chill control regime for cooling the turkeys has been installed, along with an energy-efficient pack system for refrigeration. Improved staff facilities are also provided, with canteen, rest room and offices.
The facility has 15,000 sq ft (1400 sq m) of refrigerated storage and can process up to 55,000 turkeys for the Christmas market.
