Strategic Beef Partnership with ABP Food Group

RNS Number : 1579H

Genus PLC

15 May 2014

 



For immediate release

15 May 2014

Genus plc

("Genus")

Strategic Beef Partnership with ABP Food Group

Genus, a leading global animal genetics company, and ABP Food Group ("ABP"), one of the largest beef processors in Europe, are pleased to announce a strategic partnership.  The multi-year agreement which aims to develop more sustainable and higher quality beef will leverage Genus's genomics technology platform with ABP's extensive UK beef production and traceability model. The agreement is in line with both companies' strategy to improve product differentiation in beef cattle on a customer led basis.

Under the multi-year agreement, Genus and ABP will collaborate to improve beef genetics at the primary producer level.  ABP will provide a rich source of supply chain data which will enable Genus to develop a proprietary custom index for beef bulls specifically for ABP, which will deliver superior genetics into the ABP supply chain.  This will create a more sustainable beef supply chain generating value through improved feed to weight gain efficiencies, carcass values and better quality product for the consumer. Participating farmers using Genus's beef genetics will benefit from ABP's extensive expertise in calf procurement and calf rearing, while Genus will receive a royalty from ABP for the genetic value delivered.

As the leading beef processor in the UK and Ireland, and the third largest in Europe, ABP is well placed to capture beef genetic improvement. The company already operates a comprehensive DNA swabbing of all cattle slaughtered and is committed to improving the efficiency and quality of the beef supply chain. 

Genus is expected to start providing superior beef genetics to ABP suppliers in the second half of 2014.

Karim Bitar, CEO of Genus, commented,

"Our proprietary genomics technology platform gives us the ability to deliver significant benefits in beef genetics, in line with our achievements in dairy and porcine. We believe that by entering into strategic partnerships with integrated beef producers, together we will be able to deliver significant value enhancement across the supply chain. ABP has a track record of implementing cutting edge technology in order to produce high quality beef with maximum efficiency, and we are delighted to be working with them to drive this significant opportunity."

Commenting on the agreement, Paul Finnerty, CEO of ABP Food Group, said,

"This is an important development for our business and we are delighted to be working with Genus, a global leader in the field of animal genetics. Major strides in genetic improvement have been made in pork, poultry and dairy in recent decades, but beef has lagged behind. Now is the time for this to change. Collaborating with Genus we see the potential for producing even better quality beef from a more sustainable and efficient supply chain, thereby underpinning the competiveness of our business."

For further information please contact:

Genus plc	Tel: [phone]
Karim Bitar, Chief Executive
Stephen Wilson, Group Finance Director
Buchanan	Tel: [phone]
Charles Ryland /Sophie McNulty ABP Food Group Seamus Banim, Communications Director	Tel: [phone]

This announcement is available on the Genus website www.genusplc.com.

About Genus

Genus creates advances to animal breeding and genetic improvement by applying biotechnology and sells added value products for livestock farming and food producers. Its technology is applicable across all livestock species and is currently commercialised by Genus in the dairy, beef and pork food production sectors.

Genus' worldwide sales are made in seventy countries under the trademarks "ABS" (dairy and beef cattle) and "PIC" (pigs) and comprise semen and breeding animals with superior genetics to those animals currently in production. Genus' customers' animals produce offspring with greater production efficiency, and quality, and use these to supply the global dairy and meat supply chain.

The Group's competitive edge has been created from the ownership and control of proprietary lines of breeding animals, the biotechnology used to improve them and its global supply chain, technical service and sales and distribution network.

With headquarters in Basingstoke, United Kingdom, Genus companies operate in thirty countries on six continents, with research laboratories located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

About ABP Food Group

ABP Food Group is one of Europe's leading privately owned agribusiness companies which slaughters around one million cattle per year. ABP is the UK and Ireland's largest beef processor, and has a reputation for providing customers with award-winning beef. ABP also operates substantial renewable, pet food and protein divisions. ABP employs 8,000 people at 40 facilities around the world, and are a major exporter of beef throughout Europe.  Full traceability, supply chain integrity and environmental sustainability are core values held by our business and valued by our customers. For more information visit www.abpfoodgroup.com. 

 

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