From groceries to poultry feed: 100 years of Randalstown mill

The Pilgrim’s Europe site team at Randalstown Feed Mill.

From supplying groceries and agricultural goods in 1926 to producing poultry feed today, Randalstown Feed Mill is marking a century in business with more than 80 jobs supported across its operations.

The Pilgrim’s Europe site has served generations of the farming community, developing from a local supplier into a mill supporting the company’s poultry production and wider agricultural supply chain.

Staff and partners gathered at the mill for a centenary celebration, recognising both its history and the people who have helped sustain the business over the past 100 years.

From groceries to poultry feed

The business introduced its first pellet mill in the 1950s, as developments in animal feed formulation and nutrition helped farms improve efficiency in the post-war years.

A new mill followed in the 1980s, increasing production capacity and allowing the business to expand its customer and supplier base.

Moy Park, now part of Pilgrim’s Europe, bought the business in 2010, when it moved to producing poultry feed. Further investment included a bio-secure feed production facility installed in 2016 to supply the company’s Grandparent and Parent poultry division, which provides breeding stock for poultry production.

A century of local connections

(L-R) Mark Huston, Site Manager, Stephanie Thompson, Site Support Manager, Mary Preston, Feed Mills Technical Manager and Gary McIntyre, Head of Feed Milling and Agri Poultry Estate Operations at Pilgrim’s Europe, pictured at the recent Randalstown Feed Mill celebrations.

(L-R) Gary McIntyre, Head of Feed Milling and Agri Poultry Estate Operations, Pilgrim’s Europe and Fábio Brancher, Operations Director Agriculture, Pilgrim’s Europe.

(L-R) Rolling back the years, Gary McIntyre, Head of Feed Milling and Agri Poultry Estate Operations at Pilgrim’s Europe, pictured at the recent Randalstown Feed Mill celebrations with former mill managers Brian McAlynn, Willis Mackey, and Alan Johnston.

Fábio Brancher, Operations Director Agriculture at Pilgrim’s Europe, said:

“Reaching 100 years at the Randalstown Feed Mill is an incredible achievement and one that reflects the dedication of our people and the relationships they have built over generations. We’re proud of the role the site has played locally over the years and of the strong connections we’ve built within the wider community.

“The celebrations were a great opportunity to bring people together, say thank you to our colleagues and take the time to recognise everything that’s been achieved here over the past 100 years while we also look to further growth.”

For Randalstown, the centenary marks the continuing contribution of a business whose work has changed considerably since 1926, but which remains a source of local employment and a link in the farming supply chain.