Axfood chooses Danish Crown for meat packaging

Starting in 2009, Axfood’s meat will be packaged in Sweden’s most modern meat-packaging plant. The plant will be operated by Danish Crown and will be located in southern Sweden.

“We have reached an agreement with Danish Crown under which they will build the plant to package most of the meat sold by Hemköp’s and Willys’ stores,” says Torbjörn Lithell, Head of Axfood’s Meats Business Area.

The agreement with Danish Crown covers only packaging – the meat will continue to come from the suppliers that Axfood has chosen to work with.

“It is important for us to choose suppliers we want to work with based on quality, price and national origin,” says Lithell. “Consequently, this agreement covers only packaging and not the actual meat.”

Danish Crown is a leading player in the European meat packaging market and one of the world’s largest suppliers of pork.

“We need a plant with greater capacity than the one we have today,” Lithell adds. “But it’s not only a matter of volume. Danish Crown operates several plants across Europe, and we feel that they have the most modern solutions and the best quality.”

The plant will measure approximately 8,000 sq. m. The exact location of the plant has not yet been determined. Once the plant is in operation it will provide 130 new jobs.