5 May 2026

Silver Fern Farms has today announced an over $100 million investment in new freezing, cold storage, and automation facilities at its Finegand Site based just outside Balclutha.

Chief Executive Dan Boulton says the investment is the largest single capital investment project undertaken by Silver Fern Farms and signals a strong vote of confidence in the sector, community, and Silver Fern Farms’ site network.

“This investment forms part of an ongoing programme of investment across the Silver Fern Farms site network to strengthen site resilience, efficiency and long-term competitiveness,” he says.

“It will deliver new freezing capacity, automated cold storage, sorting and modern load‑out infrastructure. Once complete, the Finegand redevelopment will significantly strengthen the Site’s role as high-capacity hub for our South Island network,” he says.

Boulton says the redevelopment will also deliver a step change in product quality and customer outcomes, supporting Silver Fern Farms’ premium market positioning.

“Customers will see tangible benefits, including improved carton presentation through reduced handling and damage, and greater shelf‑life utilisation through more accurate, responsive order fulfilment,” he says.

“These improvements directly support our premium strategy and build long‑term brand value,” he says.

Automation and modern facility design will significantly improve workplace safety and sustainability outcomes.

“Automation will reduce manual handling and forklift movements, creating a safer working environment for our people while supporting the transition into higher‑skill, technology‑enabled roles,” he says.

“Modern refrigeration systems and smarter layouts will also improve energy efficiency and reduce unnecessary handling and transport over time,” he says.

Boulton says the investment has been enabled by disciplined financial management following several challenging years for the business.

“After returning to profit following two years of operating losses, we have retained earnings which strengthens our balance sheet and helps ensure capital was available for reinvestment,” he says.

“That approach has positioned us to invest at scale today, building durable, long‑term value for shareholders,” he says.

The Finegand investment is expected to deliver material operating savings and a more resilient earnings base, with strong long‑term returns at both site and network level.

“This is a capital‑intensive investment with a rapid network‑level payback and a clear uplift in returns on capital employed,” he says.

Construction will be carefully staged to minimise disruption to existing operations, with commissioning planned from 2027, aligned with lower volume periods.

“Ultimately, this investment is a vote of confidence — in Finegand, in the Balclutha and farming communities, in the future of the sector, and in the long‑term value we can create for our people, our suppliers, our customers and our shareholders,” he says.

Media Contact:

Bill de la Mare

Head of External Affairs

021 924 331

Note for Editors:

Silver Fern Farms Finegand is located five minutes south of Balclutha. It is one of the largest sites in Silver Fern Farms’ network of 14 sites, employing up to 1200 people in the peak of the season. It processes beef, sheepmeat, and veal. The site opened in June 1912 under the South Otago Freezing Company. PPCS took over the site in 1989, and it was rebranded as Silver Fern Farms in 2008.

Silver Fern Farms is New Zealand’s largest processor and marketer of beef, lamb, mutton, venison and associated products to more than 60 countries and regions. The company operates 14 processing facilities throughout the country, employing more than 6,000 staff in peak season.