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Coalition commits funding for $20m beef value-adding plant

Beef Central, 26/04/2022

Plans to build a $20 million plant to value-add secondary cuts of beef in Central Queensland will come to fruition if the Liberal National Coalition wins next month’s Federal election, according to a funding announcement today.

The Coalition Government has committed up to $11 million to build the Cattlemen’s Beef Value Adding Facility near Yeppoon, to be developed by food manufacturer Keppel Brand.

Keppel Brand has been a successful local food manufacturer for more than 30 years, now distributing convenience hot box food products to over 18,000 food outlet customers around the nation.

The $20 million project is expected to create 40 jobs in construction and more than 85 jobs in operation.

Michelle Landry, Mark Davie and Kelly Newton

Keppel Brand director Mark Davie said the project would be “transformational for the beef industry” by increasing convenience market applications for beef products in both domestic and export retail and food service markets.

It would produce portioned whole muscle beef nuggets and schnitzels.

He said the ready to eat and convenience food product category is growing at over 7 percent per annum in Asia alone.

The current market for nuggets in South East Asia is valued at $16 billion per annum.

The new facility has a capacity for up to $50 million production per annum and will generate $115 million per annum in economic benefit for the Livingstone Shire and broader Australian economy, Mr Davie said.

“We are excited to welcome this commitment from the Coalition Government which will be transformational for our region and the beef industry,” Mr Davie said.

“We are truly passionate about providing new applications for beef in domestic and export markets.

“This critical piece of value adding infrastructure in northern Australia will deliver on a vision we had three years ago to move the needle on domestic per capita consumption of beef.

“We want to sell beef into new markets, leverage the Australian beef brand globally and we want to market beef for the superfood it is.”

Keppel Brand director Kelly Newton said the new-to-market Cattlemen’s Beef brand will focus on increasing the value of lower cost beef cuts, taking an $8-$10 per kilo part of the carcase and after value adding creating a product worth $40 per kilo at the point of sale.

“After more than 35 years in family business, the new facility will build upon our existing Keppel Brand business into over 14,000 customer outlets Australia-wide.

“Most importantly it will create jobs and career pathways in our local community.

“We thank the Hon. Michelle Landry MP, the Hon David Littleproud MP and the Coalition Government for supporting this expansion and growth.”

The application has also been supported by Qld State Labor Member Brittany Lauga MP.

  • Mark Davie will address the Rural Press Club of Queensland lunch in Brisbane this Friday in his capacity as president of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework. For details and to register for tickets click here

 

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Comments

  1. Peter Dunn, 26/04/2022

    Well done the (Federal) Coalition government. $11M worth of action rather than just promises, to deliver jobs and business expansion. Why is this significant? Well, apart from the obvious boost to the CQ economy, (let me put on my biased/prejudicial hat first) it is that it has the capacity to deliver a filler for the “VEAL” gap in the supermarket shelves. Plenty of pork around, but veal cuts for schnitzel have been hard to find. Apologies to the pork producers of course. but could the Keppel Brand Board please put ‘veal’ on their next meeting agenda.

  2. Paul Franks, 26/04/2022

    Is this a loan or free money?

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