Pilgrim's Europe has announced FY2025 revenue of £4.12 billion and operating profit of £267.7 million. It gives food manufacturers a disclosed benchmark for what an integrated protein business earned in its second year of operating as one group.

Pilgrim's Europe brings together Northern Ireland poultry producer Moy Park, Pilgrim's UK and Pilgrim's Food Masters, with 17,000 colleagues. Revenue rose from £4.07 billion and operating profit from £242.4 million in 2024, with a 6.5 per cent margin before restructuring costs.

Poultry director Justin Coleman said: "However, maintaining that success and securing future growth in Northern Ireland depends on a planning system that enables investment in environmental and welfare improvements rather than constrains it. The transition to higher welfare production standards has required approximately 20% more growing space across our supply chain to maintain production capacity."

Coleman said planning delays over the past 18 to 24 months had left about £155 million of on-farm investment idle.

The group invested £108.6 million in capital expenditure during the year. Its Northern Ireland footprint includes four food plants, a shared services hub at Rushmere, a research centre in Craigavon, three hatcheries, a feedmill and a 450-strong grower network.

Poultry News reported that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency paused consultations on agricultural planning applications with ammonia considerations, pending legal advice. Agriculture accounts for 97 per cent of Northern Ireland ammonia emissions, with poultry contributing 14 per cent of that.

Pilgrim's Europe reported sales and volume growth across poultry and meals in the first half of FY2026, and acquired Hermitage Genetics. The proposed acquisition of Walker's Deli & Sausage Company remains subject to Competition and Markets Authority approval.

For the sector, welfare standards that require about a fifth more growing space show how production capacity depends on planning timelines as much as plant investment.

Source: Belfast News Letter / Poultry News