Western Meat Packers Group has welcomed last week’s WA Government $300,000 grant which will help facilitate further processing of offal and other products at its Western Meat Processors’ Cowaramup abattoir operation as part of a $10 million expansion of its integrated operations.

WMPG CEO Andrew Fuda said that investing in this new manufacturing capability would help fully maximise yields from each beef animal and open up new markets, resulting in at least 50 full time new jobs and a host of indirect opportunities for the company and the local community.

“We’ve identified strong demand from our existing customers in Thailand, Korea, Hong Kong and Japan, plus we’re optimistic we’ll receive export license approval for China, a key target in our marketing strategy,” he said.

“I sincerely thank the State Government and Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan for their support and recognition of regional businesses such as our’s.

“I also acknowledge the high level planning and logistics by Western Meat Processors General Manager Jamie Warburton and his very professional and dedicated team at Cowaramup.”

WMPG’s Cowaramup operation has methodically built its operational capacity over the past 15 years to 70,000 cattle per annum, with most selected from south-west beef producers and distributed domestically and internationally under the Margaret River Fresh brand.

Proudly WA family owned, WMPG has transformed from modest beginnings in 1983 as a

small boning room to be one of Australia’s most trusted beef and lamb exporters and processors.

Employing almost 500 people, WMPG now has a weekly processing capacity of 2000 cattle and 1000 lambs that are supplied to domestic and international markets.