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An investment of over £1 million will see the re-opening of a north abattoir for the first time in a decade and the venture has the potential to create more than 50 new jobs for the Sutherland area.  Scotch Premier Meat Limited is taking over the former Grants of Dornoch slaughterhouse to establish a dedicated lamb slaughter and processing line.

Scotch Premier Meat has secured a building and development grant worth £115,000 from Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) towards the cost of bringing the premises back into use.  CASE chief executive Carroll Buxton says it is a major inward investment project for Sutherland with implications for the local economy and agriculture across the Highlands and Islands "We have a strategy to develop the livestock sector in the region so we are delighted that Scotch Premier Meat has chosen Dornoch as the location for its new dedicated lamb slaughter facility. This investment will not only provide valuable jobs in an area with high unemployment but will bring much needed confidence to the community.
"This project will impact widely on the agricultural sector in the Highlands and Islands with farmers being able to access a local market for their animals, reducing the need for livestock to be transported large distances."

With no dedicated lamb abattoir, Scotch Premier Meat currently contracts out the slaughter of 25,000 lambs per year which is undertaken in Central Scotland.  The lifting of the recent export ban and the fact that the company believes there to be an opportunity to develop a 'Highland Lamb' brand makes Dornoch an ideal location to establish the new venture.

Brian Pack, group chief executive of Scotch Premier Meat's holding company, ANM Group Ltd said: "There is an abundant supply of lambs and ewes within the Highlands so why transport these animals south for slaughter?

"Lamb occupies the second ranking in terms of sales of red meat in the UK and as our order book shows, there will be an initial throughput of 500 lambs per week at the Dornoch facility with a target of 3,500 lambs per week by the end of 2004.  "At a time when the agriculture industry is in severe difficulties we view our investment as a boost for the livestock sector in the north of Scotland."
With Grants of Dornoch having closed its doors in the early 1990s, it is believed that the skills base still exists, therefore Scotch Premier Meat will be able to recruit local staff to work in the business from its inception.

Some modest building work needs to be carried out before the plant is up and running including the construction of a concrete wash bay and plumbing and electricity improvements. New plant and equipment also has to be installed.

Based in Inverurie, Scotch Premier Meat is a wholly owned subsidiary of the ANM Group, the country's largest group of farmer owned businesses with around 500 employees and some 7,500 farmer members. Scotch Premier Meat has an excellent reputation for supplying quality Scottish meat products and has some high profile customers. It also boasts a Royal Warrant as supplier to Her Majesty the Queen.