Going global in Gingin

WA family business Borrello Group, which owns the meatworks, has undergone a rapid transformation over the past four years that has seen it now poised to export up to half its throughput overseas.

Following the death of company co-founder Ned Borrello in 2010, the firm committed to following his vision to go from being a domestic supplier to an overseas exporter.

The plan includes expanding the meatworks from its processing of 1100 cattle a week, as well as upgrading the Midwest Meat Processors boning facility in Hazelmere ” a process that will create a significant number of new jobs.

Second generation Borrello Group general manager Danny Borrello said the family was proud of its rise from a small plant processing 10 head of beef per day to be an international standard producer of chilled boxed export beef.

‘(Dad) was a fairly driven man and to get the business to where it was was a major achievement,’ he said.

Mr Borrello has three siblings and, together with his mother Vanessa, are pushing the business into new territory.

‘We hope to bring more jobs to the local community,’ he said.

‘As well as the export market, we are also looking for other marketing opportunities within Australia.’

Gingin Meatworks general manager Adam Hill, who previously managed Australia’s largest abattoir in Queensland, said the first step was to raise the standard of the plant, so that it met export criteria.

‘The first part involved the audit and from there we made a plan to meet the Tier 1 standard that allows us to export to 27 countries,’ he said.

Mr Hill hopes to see the processing figure increase by 50 per cent once international exports are underway.

‘It’s been an exciting time to be in the Borrello Group while bringing in the expansion. I admire (the late) Mr Borrello and think he was very well respected in the meat industry,’ he said.