A British pork processor in Northern Ireland is shutting its doors for a full health testing of all its 500 staff members following a “significant” outbreak where 35 workers tested positive for Covid-19.
As a result, exports from the Cranswick food company’s facility to China have also come to a halt. Just yesterday, Cranswick announced celebrating quarterly figures and stated that the company had navigated the coronavirus pandemic well.
This is the first large meat processing plant in Northern Ireland to close entirely in response to an outbreak. Cranswick said that staff who tested negative must self-isolate for 14 days—likely meaning the factory will remain closed for 14 days. The Unite union stated that it wants reassurance that workers sent home will not lose pay.
A union spokesperson said the meat processing sector has been heavily affected by the pandemic. “This latest outbreak at Cranswick shows that the sector’s issues have still not been addressed, despite the risks highlighted since May,” he said. However, Northern Ireland’s Minister of Health said the outbreak was “certainly not unique” to Cranswick. “There have been outbreaks in similar facilities in England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland,” he said.
The company said it implemented measures at the start of the pandemic to protect staff, including social distancing protocols, personal protective equipment (PPE) for all employees, and enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures throughout the site. Just yesterday, Cranswick released favorable quarterly results.
The food and pork giant saw turnover rise during the coronavirus period due to increased home consumption. With hospitality and restaurants closed, Britons purchased more groceries in supermarkets to eat at home, which more than compensated for lower foodservice revenues for Cranswick.
The producer of bacon, sausages, fresh pork, and chicken said its food-to-go sector was heavily impacted by the pandemic, but strong retail demand offset that impact. Cranswick’s quarterly report showed that turnover in the 13 weeks ending June 27, 2020, was 24.8% higher than in the same period last year. Performance was strong enough that the company was able to pay all factory staff a bonus of £500.
Cranswick, which supplies the four largest supermarket chains in the UK as well as discount stores Aldi and Lidl, has benefited from a significant shift in consumer spending due to lockdowns. Food spending rose by 7.3 percent during those months, according to data collected last month by KPMG and the British Retail Consortium.