Damate launched Russia's largest lamb slaughter and processing plant

23.09.2022
Lamb Production

Damate Group has launched the largest lamb slaughter and processing plant in Russia with a capacity of 25,000 tons per year. After the plant reaches its design capacity, the processing volume will be 300 heads per hour or 42 tons of products per shift. The enterprise is located in Cherkessk city of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

On September 23, the opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Agriculture of Russia Dmitry Patrushev, the head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Rashid Temrezov, the Chairman of the Board of Rosselkhozbank JSC Boris Listov and other honored guests.

The plant was modernized as part of the project for the production of mutton in the North Caucasus Federal District, which also includes breeding and fattening sites, a service company, and a genetic line. Investments in the re-equipment of the enterprise amount to 3.4 billion rubles, the financial partner is Rosselkhozbank.

As part of the reconstruction, a complete modernization of all engineering systems and production facilities of the enterprise was carried out: red meat deboning lines were installed, the production of large and small-sized semi-finished products with a capacity of 30 tons per day was launched, the plant will produce 4 tons of sliced ​​​​marinades and 4 tons of minced meat and kupaty. The enterprise will produce 12.8 tons of meat and bone meal per day.

The plant is fitted with modern product quality control system at each stage of production; the company is certified according to HACCP and ISO standards. A state veterinary examination is applied to the slaughtering and processing of lamb; quality and safety control of products is carried out in the laboratory.

Particular attention is paid to compliance with the norms of sanitary safety of production. The plant constantly monitors the sanitary condition of infrastructure and equipment, strictly zoning of production is observed with the division of "dirty" and "clean" zones. All animals undergo sanitary health control and pre-slaughter inspection.

During the renovation of the enterprise, modern technological equipment from leading Russian and foreign manufacturers was used; most of the processes are automated now.

For example, a slaughter line with a high-speed slicer allows simultaneously producing products for different categories of consumers with different slicing depths, which helps to avoid working "to the warehouse" and focus strictly on customer requests.

Unique technological systems for automatic carcass calibration by weight and steam treatment, as well as for by-products and high-value gut raw materials have been installed there. Calibration guarantees a homogeneous end product.

In addition, reliable and modern refrigeration equipment ensures rapid cooling and a high degree of safety of the finished product before shipment.

An important part of the reconstruction project is the installation of improved local treatment systems and the organization of industrial waste processing from the enterprise.

The products of the new plant will be sold through federal and regional retail chains throughout the country under the brand BAZARCO. The product range is as much as 200 SKUs including natural semi-finished products from mutton and lamb, minced meat, marinades and canned food. All products will be certified according to Halal and Kosher standards.

"I am sure that due to our cooperation with Damate, the Karachay-Cherkess will become a leader in the production and processing of mutton in Russia in the coming years. The reconstruction of a plant will create about 450 new jobs in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. When implementing the project, the management of Damate applies an integrated approach, which further emphasizes its scale. About 50 thousand people are employed in the sheep industry of the republic in related areas; many of the agricultural producers will be able to participate in this project in the future. The creation of new jobs, in turn, is one of the primary tasks for public authorities. I would like to thank the investor, Damate Group for the contribution they make not only to the development of animal husbandry in Karachay–Cherkessia, but also to its economic component. I am sure that together we will achieve completely new results for the benefit of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic and the Russian Federation," said Rashid Temrezov, the Head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

“It's nice to see with my own eyes how investments in the agro-industrial complex turn into production facilities that saturate the market with delicious, high-quality domestic products. Together with our clients, we are actively developing the country's agriculture. I am also happy to note that the launch of the reconstructed plant will not only produce 25,000 tons of products, but also provide jobs to more than 500 people,” said Boris Listov, Chairman of the Board of Rosselkhozbank.

"The new Damate investment project is aimed at reviving sheep farming in the North Caucasus and supporting farming, which has been a typical occupation of the people of the region for centuries. In global terms, it is the launch of the market of demanded cheap lamb meat, which is an important contribution to the food security of the country. Our project also has a significant social effect, it is expressed in the creation of new jobs, in the deduction of taxes and in the economic development of the territory," said Naum Babayev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Damate.

Thanks to the large-scale reconstruction, the number of jobs at the enterprise has been increased from 150 to 450, and in 2023 their number will grow to 550.

The company plans to continue the modernization of the plant. By April 2023, additional work will be carried out to increase the efficiency of the production process, and additional equipment will be installed to increase margins and expand the range of products.