Poultry plant sold to British investors

THE Cappoquin Poultry processing plant is to be taken over by two British investors who will prepare chicken for the British halal market.

The IFA and SIPTU said they are pleased with the sale of the plant. However, SIPTU said it is concerned about supposed plans by the new owners to offer only minimum wage to workers.

SIPTU is to hold a meeting on Monday. Up to 200 people are employed at the Waterford plant. It is believed most of these will be offered work after re-organisation.

Cappoquin liquidator Aidan O’Connell completed the sale yesterday. Perwiaz Latif and Zahid Hussain are the owners of Derby Poultry in Britain and now have majority stakes in Cappoquin Poultry Limited. Paul O’Connor and Michael O’Connor Jnr, of the family which founded Cappoquin Chickens, are to share a 35% stake with former financial officer, Tom Vaughan.

According to the IFA, Cappoquin Poultry did some work in this sector before.

A spokesman for Cappoquin Poultry said last night: “Cappoquin Poultry Limited will now engage in a period of gradual growth to re-establish market share. As part of this process, the company intends to source a new hatchery following the sale of the Cappoquin Chickens hatchery in recent weeks”.

SIPTU area representative David Lane said: “Workers are relieved it was taken over but will need to learn more about working conditions.”

IFA Poultry Committee chairman and supplier to Cappoquin Chickens, Ned Morrissey, said many of the chicken growers that supplied Cappoquin have decided to leave the sector.