Thomas Foods International story of well-planned growth based around the flagship Murray Bridge operations
THE purchase of what was then a struggling abattoir at Murray Bridge back in 1999 was a turning point for Thomas Foods International, which was hit by a massive blaze on Thursday night.
- Abattoir fire started accidentally by welding
- What impact will the fire have on meat prices?
- Gallery: Huge fire at Murray Bridge abattoir
THE purchase of what was then a struggling abattoir at Murray Bridge back in 1999 was a turning point for Thomas Foods International.
Then named T & R Pastoral the company, which was founded in 1988, took over an operation which employed just 200 people.
Mr Rowe and Mr Thomas had been in business together since the 1970s, buying livestock and processing it for local and overseas markets.
By the mid 1990s, T & R was running a large meat processing business from the former SAMCOR meatworks at Gepps Cross. By 2001 — having bought the Murray Bridge operations — the company was processing 600 cattle and 7000 sheep and lambs per day, with a turnover expected to reach $250 million that year.
Compare that to the modern day Thomas Foods — which was renamed in 2013.
The company now employs more than 3000 people, with a turnover in excess of $1 billion, and exports to more than 80 countries across North America, Europe and the Middle East, processing up to 120,000 sheep and lambs a week.
At Murray Bridge alone, it processes 5000 cattle and 52,500 lambs and sheep every week. It has a head office in Adelaide, and at its other sites in Lobethal, Tamworth in New South Wales and Wallangarra in Queensland, it processes another 66,350 lambs, sheep and goats every week.
The company now claims to be the nation’s largest 100 per cent family-owned meat processing company.
Thomas Foods has continued to grow the Murray Bridge facility since acquiring it from CITIC Australia in 1999, expanding it to a seven-day operation in 2007. The company also launched its Thomas Farms branded meat products in 2008, with the company aiming to grow its margins by supplying high value, branded products.