Caribbean Broilers has already expended three-quarters of the US$120-million ($18-billion) expenditure planned on its production facility in St Catherine, called The Nest, but says COVID has hampered progress on the project.
Still, the poultry company, which trades as CB Group, expects to start rolling out production there by year end.
“We are pushing along and the facilities are being built, but we are a bit behind where we want to be,” said CB Corporate Affairs Manager Dr Keith Amiel.
“The company expects to start producing at that plant by Christmas and then reach full capacity by mid-2021,” he said.
Development of The Nest at Hill Run, St Catherine, is being done in phases over a span of seven years. The complex will consolidate all of CB’s business operations in a single location, but structured as three independent units, CB Group said last year.
CB’s poultry processing plant, to be relocated from Arnold Road in Kingston to Hill Run, will process about 100,000 birds per nine-hour shift. The waste from the processing plant will be converted to other uses to augment other elements of the operation, including a feed mill.
CB intends to produce 30 types of feed at the mill for both the local and export markets, Dr Amiel said. Currently, CB exports small quantities of feed, but the plan is to ramp up sales to around 10 countries in the region.
“In order to justify the expense of the feed mill, we need a wider consumer base,” Amiel said.
The fertile lands at The Nest will serve as the large wholesale farm for the company and neighbouring contracted farmers.
“The facility will function as a mother farm with the production of onions, pepper and sweet corn, “ said Amiel, explaining that CB would buy in bulk and hold farmers to a standardised grading system, which, in turn, would allow the poultry group owned by the Hendrickson family to distribute to large supermarkets and hotels.
CB Group’s administrative offices are currently scattered around the country, but will eventually find a home at The Nest.
A power plant is also being constructed at the facility to satisfy all of The Nest’s energy needs. Power utility Jamaica Public Service Company Limited and its affiliates will develop and own the 10-megawatt power plant that will be fuelled by liquefied natural gas supplied by New Fortress Energy.
Source: The Jamaica Gleaner
by: Steven Jackson