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Eamon
Frank Clarke (Athleague)
irty-five years of the Kepak Group
T
he Kepak Group is one of Europe’s foremost food processing companies. Celebrating 35 years in business in 2016, the Group has grown to employ 2,000 staff.
Manager is Jonathan Forbes, whose role involves managing the procurement team and the overall sourcing of livestock to the processing sites in line with customer requirements and specifications. Jonathan is also responsible for the delivery of the Group Procurement Kepak has come a long way since the Strategy – sourcing, availability, pricing late Noel Keating, who had a butcher and projects. He is also responsible for shop in The Liberties in central Dublin, the Group’s Agriculture initiatives. formed the company in Clonee, Co. Kepak Procurement Team Meath in 1981. Kepak is still owned by the Kepak’s procurement team work with Keating family, with the family involved in farmers suppliers nationwide. the day-to-day running. Kepak is a young, professional and Frank Clarke, Athleague, 0872551665 dynamic business that continues to grow Eamon Phelan Kilbeggan 0866076555 and prosper. At the core of this success Graham Murphy Clonee 0860431513 has been a commitment to developing & Brian Delaney Clonee 086/0288941 strong customer relationships through a Alan Connaughton – Cork 0868268614 partnership approach. The Group prides & Peter O’Keeffe Cork 086 7970023 itself on its dedication to innovation, brand Bertie Mannion- Athleague management and consumer focus. 0862572512 Kepak’s Irish processing facilities are Aine Mulvihill Kepak Group located in Athleague, Cork, Clonee, Procurement Kilbeggan, Ballymahon, Ballybay and Cavan (McCarren Meats), while it has Forbes comments that the procurement another facility in Kirkham, Lancashire. As team all come from farming backgrounds well as in Ireland and the UK, Kepak has and actively farm their own enterprises – a sales presence in all major EU and sheep, suckling and beef farms and this international markets. has proven a very solid foundation for all The Group’s Livestock Procurement of their chosen career paths. ‘We all enjoy
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what we do and that’s really important’ Forbes reflects about the changes in beef farming, consumer demands and customer profile over the last 15 years and indeed how this impacts on the livestock procurement function“strategically this role is now very important to the business to ensure that our team are fully enabled, knowledgeable, trained, and capable to deliver for the needs of the business. The focus on development of procurement skill sets to meet a changed and expanding customer environment and portfolio has been paramount to support farmer suppliers and customers /consumers. Coupled with the practical farming background knowledge of the procurement team, we have also pursued personal development of our Procurement Officers through training courses- ECDL, Department Grading License, Animal welfare and handling courses, training on Customer specific audit criteria, Internal and External Technical and Commercial training, Health and Safety training, and more recently some of our Procurement Officers have completed Supply Chain Management training so that the team are fully enabled to deal off all tasks that arise within the role. LEAN Manufacturing is IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI