The Irish Farmers Journal understands a deal is imminent where Irish meat processor Kepak will acquire the redmeat division of UK processor 2 Sisters Food Group. Should the deal go ahead, it will almost double the size of Kepak’s business and see the company re-enter primary processing in the UK for the first time in over a decade.

This will see the three largest Irish meat processors, ABP, Dawn Meats and Kepak, slaughtering 2.7m head of cattle annually, giving them control of 60% of the entire cattle kill across both the UK and Ireland.