Following the appointment of a receiver to Asba Meats Ltd on 15 September, the facilities used by the company in both Shannon and Ennis in Co Clare were closed by the receiver.
Since then, Asba has regained access to both sites and has resumed production at both the abattoir in Ennis and at the processing and dispatch facility in Shannon.
A spokesperson gave the following statement to the Irish Farmers Journal: “In spite of the recently well-publicised events where it was reported that Asba Meats went into receivership last week, the company announced the recommencement of production at both its Slaughterhouse in Tiermaclane, Ennis, Co Clare, and Asba Foods Logistical Centre and Warehouse in Shannon, Co Clare.
“The issue in question stems from a debenture given by Asba Meats on a small loan in 2023. An entirely unrelated winding up petition, which was filed on 29 August, is what appears to have triggered the appointment of receivers. This petition itself is being strongly contested and has been described by Asba’s legal team as fundamentally flawed.
“After Deloitte had stepped in as receivers, without any regard to due process, and halted production at both of the aforementioned facilities on Monday 15 September, Asba management sought legal advice. On Wednesday 17 September, control of the slaughterhouse in Tiermaclane was taken back from the receivers.
“The recommencement of operations at the abattoir was overseen by the Garda Síochána and the renewal of slaughtering was greenlit for Thursday morning last by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
“On Saturday, Asba Foods made further progress, re-entering the Shannon Warehouse facilities and recommencing operations in the boning hall, freezers and dispatch area of the plant. Garda Siochana attended the site on Saturday evening and were satisfied after interactions with Asba management that everything was above board, and that it was a civil matter.
“As of Tuesday 23 September, Asba Foods is operational at the Shannon plant and slaughtering at the Tiermaclane site is continuing to push full steam ahead in line with the advice from its legal team.
The consequences of last week’s events have been hard felt by Asba, with both supplier and customer confidence negatively impacted. Legal steps are being taken to recuperate the losses incurred due to the unlawful entry of Deloitte into the plant in Tiermaclane.”
Receiver's notice on the door of Asba Meats facility in Shannon, Co Clare.
When contacted by the Irish Farmers Journal, a spokesperson for Deloitte gave the following statement: “James Anderson and John Quinlan of Deloitte Ireland were appointed as joint receivers to Asba Meats Limited on 15 September 2025. Since their appointment, the company has ceased trading by virtue of its insolvency. The joint receivers are continuing with their duties to recover and realise company assets for the benefit of creditors.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said: “The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been contacted by the receivers appointed to ASBA Meats Limited. The Department will be contacting the receivers regarding the future of ASBA Meats Limited. No decision has yet been taken on the revocation of the approval to operate as a food business operator.”
As well as the petition for the wind-up of the company mentioned in the statement from Asba, the processor also faces legal proceedings, which were commenced against it by Athenry Co-operative Livestock Marts – which related to money outstanding from the processor.
Asba Meats remains in a long-running legal battle with Town and Country Meats Group, where judgement was made for €16,181 plus costs in 2024, the majority of which remained outstanding as recently as July this year.
In November 2024, Asba Meats became the first and, so far, only, company successfully prosecuted by the recently established Agri-Food Regulator for a breach of unfair trading practices regulations. That case concerned the non-payment for cattle delivered to the abattoir by a farmer.
The most recently accounts for Asba Meats filed with the Companies Registration Office are for the year ended December 2023. These showed the company had net assets of just over €5m, with €2.2m in property, plant and equipment assets and €1.7m owed to it by connected companies, with Asba Foods owing €636,800 and Teermaclane Property owing €1.08m. It reported trade creditors of €670,147 and trade debtors of €929,331. Bank debt stood at €591,277. The company employed 54 members of staff and had one director.
Looking back through several years of the companies accounts it seems Asba Meats relied on equity funding rather than bank borrowing for capital expenditure. This is possibly due to the rules around borrowing and interest payments under Sharia law.
Between 2021 and 2023 the company raised, according to its accounts, just over €1.5m from investors, taking its total share capital to €4.05m.
Comment
There are two very opposing views about the future of Asba Meats in the communications from the company and the receiver. Management of Asba Meats seems determined that it will be able to trade through the current problems, while the receiver has said that Asba Meats is insolvent.
It is difficult to get an outside view on the current financial position of the company, and also impossible to find a number on how much, if any, money is owed to farmers. Clearly there is money owed to Athenry Mart, but a figure there is also unavailable. The company is only in the position of having a receiver appointed as it failed to repay a debt on time. The petition to wind the company up casts a significant shadow over its future.
For management at Asba, there is also the reputational problem it now has. The scenes outside the plant last week, coupled with the legal cases outstanding, will do nothing to improve the willingness of farmers to trade with the processor.
Following the appointment of a receiver to Asba Meats Ltd on 15 September, the facilities used by the company in both Shannon and Ennis in Co Clare were closed by the receiver.
Since then, Asba has regained access to both sites and has resumed production at both the abattoir in Ennis and at the processing and dispatch facility in Shannon.
A spokesperson gave the following statement to the Irish Farmers Journal: “In spite of the recently well-publicised events where it was reported that Asba Meats went into receivership last week, the company announced the recommencement of production at both its Slaughterhouse in Tiermaclane, Ennis, Co Clare, and Asba Foods Logistical Centre and Warehouse in Shannon, Co Clare.
“The issue in question stems from a debenture given by Asba Meats on a small loan in 2023. An entirely unrelated winding up petition, which was filed on 29 August, is what appears to have triggered the appointment of receivers. This petition itself is being strongly contested and has been described by Asba’s legal team as fundamentally flawed.
“After Deloitte had stepped in as receivers, without any regard to due process, and halted production at both of the aforementioned facilities on Monday 15 September, Asba management sought legal advice. On Wednesday 17 September, control of the slaughterhouse in Tiermaclane was taken back from the receivers.
“The recommencement of operations at the abattoir was overseen by the Garda Síochána and the renewal of slaughtering was greenlit for Thursday morning last by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
“On Saturday, Asba Foods made further progress, re-entering the Shannon Warehouse facilities and recommencing operations in the boning hall, freezers and dispatch area of the plant. Garda Siochana attended the site on Saturday evening and were satisfied after interactions with Asba management that everything was above board, and that it was a civil matter.
“As of Tuesday 23 September, Asba Foods is operational at the Shannon plant and slaughtering at the Tiermaclane site is continuing to push full steam ahead in line with the advice from its legal team.
The consequences of last week’s events have been hard felt by Asba, with both supplier and customer confidence negatively impacted. Legal steps are being taken to recuperate the losses incurred due to the unlawful entry of Deloitte into the plant in Tiermaclane.”
Receiver's notice on the door of Asba Meats facility in Shannon, Co Clare.
When contacted by the Irish Farmers Journal, a spokesperson for Deloitte gave the following statement: “James Anderson and John Quinlan of Deloitte Ireland were appointed as joint receivers to Asba Meats Limited on 15 September 2025. Since their appointment, the company has ceased trading by virtue of its insolvency. The joint receivers are continuing with their duties to recover and realise company assets for the benefit of creditors.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said: “The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been contacted by the receivers appointed to ASBA Meats Limited. The Department will be contacting the receivers regarding the future of ASBA Meats Limited. No decision has yet been taken on the revocation of the approval to operate as a food business operator.”
As well as the petition for the wind-up of the company mentioned in the statement from Asba, the processor also faces legal proceedings, which were commenced against it by Athenry Co-operative Livestock Marts – which related to money outstanding from the processor.
Asba Meats remains in a long-running legal battle with Town and Country Meats Group, where judgement was made for €16,181 plus costs in 2024, the majority of which remained outstanding as recently as July this year.
In November 2024, Asba Meats became the first and, so far, only, company successfully prosecuted by the recently established Agri-Food Regulator for a breach of unfair trading practices regulations. That case concerned the non-payment for cattle delivered to the abattoir by a farmer.
The most recently accounts for Asba Meats filed with the Companies Registration Office are for the year ended December 2023. These showed the company had net assets of just over €5m, with €2.2m in property, plant and equipment assets and €1.7m owed to it by connected companies, with Asba Foods owing €636,800 and Teermaclane Property owing €1.08m. It reported trade creditors of €670,147 and trade debtors of €929,331. Bank debt stood at €591,277. The company employed 54 members of staff and had one director.
Looking back through several years of the companies accounts it seems Asba Meats relied on equity funding rather than bank borrowing for capital expenditure. This is possibly due to the rules around borrowing and interest payments under Sharia law.
Between 2021 and 2023 the company raised, according to its accounts, just over €1.5m from investors, taking its total share capital to €4.05m.
Comment
There are two very opposing views about the future of Asba Meats in the communications from the company and the receiver. Management of Asba Meats seems determined that it will be able to trade through the current problems, while the receiver has said that Asba Meats is insolvent.
It is difficult to get an outside view on the current financial position of the company, and also impossible to find a number on how much, if any, money is owed to farmers. Clearly there is money owed to Athenry Mart, but a figure there is also unavailable. The company is only in the position of having a receiver appointed as it failed to repay a debt on time. The petition to wind the company up casts a significant shadow over its future.
For management at Asba, there is also the reputational problem it now has. The scenes outside the plant last week, coupled with the legal cases outstanding, will do nothing to improve the willingness of farmers to trade with the processor.
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