EDITOR'S CHOICE NORTH YORKSHIRE Bollywood on Swale CLEVELAND Ready to ride into the sunset COUNTY DURHAM Young brains battle it out GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Quakers boss calls on players to set tempo 2 Kennedy savours his big moment with Quakers 3 Parker calls on Darlington fans to help finish the job 4 Parker calls on fans to help finish the job 5 Penney could make more changes for decider 6 Glimmer of hope over post offices facing axe 7 McClaren impresses Miller with brief Darlington stint 8 Shop opens in memory of folk singer 9 Queen to visit the 150th Great Yorkshire 10 Meeting to discuss future for Yorke Square Today | 7 Days 1 Celebrations as Laura wins Miss Durham competition 2 Protesters call for parking charges investigation 3 Cafe culture comes to Richmond but parking spaces are lost 4 Minister gives memorial lecture

Comment

CUSTOMER DEMAND: John Holt, of Noble Foods, with some free range chickens

THE country's largest supplier of free range eggs is recruiting more producers.

Noble Foods supplies millions of eggs a day to major retailers and expects demand to grow by up to ten per cent this year.

Demand for free range chickens and eggs has been boosted recently by high-profile campaigns and programmes involving celebrity chefs.

Noble has already made significant investments in free range eggs on its own farms and is now running a major recruitment campaign aimed at existing producers and potential new producers.

John Holt, contract supplies manager, said: "Despite higher feed costs that have absorbed some of the increase in producer prices, free range egg production is still one of the most profitable parts of farming and demand is expanding."

He says free range can be added to a wide range of businesses - from small mixed farms with other livestock to large-scale arable units.

He added: "And free range is one of the few options for new entrants to farming. There's no need for previous experience in poultry."

Noble Foods is based in Tring, Hertfordshire, but has a team of eight regional field staff who offer technical advice on the site, buildings, equipment, and on gaining planning permission.

Mr Holt said: "Once profuction starts, we offer a lot of support and are in contact at least weekly in the early days, until all parties are happy and confident.

Mr Holt said producers expanding into a second or third flock have different demands, but encouraged them to see what was possible as there have been recent rapid developments in buildings and equipment.

The company has packing and technical product development sites around Britain. It has already invested £3.5m in the free range sector in the past 12 months.

An additional £4.5m has been spent on an ultra-modern packing centre in Lincolnshire with further developments in packing, processing and the distribution chain planned.

The company will be at the British Pig and Poultry Fair, Stoneleigh, on May 13 and 14 and Mr Holt can be contacted on 01623- 870-384, or at john.holt@noblefoods.

co.uk.

12:31pm Friday 2nd May 2008

Print

Email this

Comment

Add your comment

Name:
Email: *
Location:
**
	e.g. 123-123
Comment: Please note: All HTML tags will be ignored. Format Text:
By posting a comment, I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms of use. Comments are not moderated but we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention and we may delete inappropriate postings. Please treat other people with respect. You must not post anything that is abusive, indecent, unlawful or defamatory. Remember, you are personally liable for what you post on this site. If you wish to complain about a comment, contact us here.
* Your email address will not be displayed ** To avoid register now or login