'The impact of this investment will be felt by many small, family-owned farms': Family-run firm hatches £2.9million investment to boost productivity and drive sustainable growth in Fermanagh
Lisnaskea-based egg processor Ready Egg secures over £500,000 in support from Invest NI to boost automation, efficiency, and sustainability under the Agri-Food Investment Initiative
Lisnaskea-based Ready Egg, one of Northern Ireland’s leading agri-food businesses, has unveiled plans for a £2.9million investment aimed at enhancing productivity, expanding capacity, and accelerating sales growth
The family-run company, which employs 150 people locally and supplies a wide range of high-quality egg products to the retail, manufacturing and food service sectors, will benefit from over £500,000 in support from Invest NI through the Agri-Food Investment Initiative (AFII).
The funding will enable Ready Egg to modernise its operations through automation and new technology, strengthening its position as a major player in the UK and Ireland’s agri-food industry while supporting sustainability and regional economic development.
Speaking after a tour of the facility, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald commended the investment, describing it as an important milestone for both the business and the wider rural economy.
“This investment marks a significant boost for rural Fermanagh and aligns with my economic vision to create greater regional balance and drive productivity,” she explained.
"It will fast-track Ready Egg’s operational efficiency, improve energy usage, and support our Green Skills Delivery goals.”
The Minister added that the investment would also create opportunities for upskilling and workforce development, while delivering positive ripple effects throughout Ready Egg’s supply chain: “The impact of this investment will be felt by many small, family-owned farms across the north, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between government and industry to support sustainable growth.”
The company processes more than one billion eggs each year at its plants in Lisnaskea and Chesterfield, with products including liquid and powered egg, hard-boiled and scrambled egg and egg mayonnaise.
It is investing in machinery such as an egg breaking plant, a reverse osmosis plant and packaging robots to automate manual tasks and increase operational efficiencies.
Charles Crawford, founder of Ready Egg, explained: “We began egg production in Lisnaskea in 1975 and have grown Ready Egg into the largest egg processor in the UK and Ireland.
“This exciting investment in robotics and automation will transform our business and improve productivity across a number of key operational areas.
“This investment also underlines our commitment to sustainability by increasing energy efficiency and reducing waste.”
Gráinne Moody, director of Food and Drink at Invest NI added: “AFII aims to close Northern Ireland’s productivity gap and help local agri-food and drink processors become more competitive.
“So far, the scheme has supported several regional businesses to deliver major productivity projects to improve outputs and introduce cutting-edge robotics and automation.
“We’re delighted to be supporting Ready Egg’s investment, which has the potential to boost the company’s productivity by up to 50%, transform its capacity and modernise its processes through digitalisation.”