Eurofarm, the Co Meath beef factory, is about to reach the landmark of processing its 1,000,000th animal any day now.

It was set up by Michael Fox in 2003, at a time when consolidation featured strongly in the industry, and is one of the few remaining independent factories outside the large groups.

The Dealer always has a soft spot for the underdog, even among factories, and the success of Eurofarm shows that the determination to overcome obstacles in the early days was the basis for sustaining a successful business.

The Duleek plant also gives farmers an option for their cattle outside of the big groups.