Delivering Partnership, Performance and Sustainability for Cranswick

Delivering Partnership, Performance and Sustainability for Cranswick

When Cranswick Country Foods Ballymena began evaluating logistics partners in 2025, they were not simply looking for a transport provider. They were seeking a strategic partner - one capable of protecting product quality, supporting sustainability ambitions, and enabling seamless movement across the Irish Sea and beyond.

By October 2025, following a rigorous trial period led by McCulla Ireland Sales Director Alan Thompson, that partner had been found.

Supporting One of the UK’s Leading Food Producers

Cranswick Country Foods is the UK’s largest pork producer, with 24 sites, 16,000 employees, and annual turnover exceeding £2.7 billion. Each site operates with a high degree of autonomy, and the Ballymena facility is no exception. Employing around 500 people, it plays a critical role within the wider Cranswick Group.

From Ballymena, 85% of production is exported to the UK - with 80% supplied to other Cranswick facilities and the remainder to customers supplying finished goods into the large retailers. This complex flow requires absolute consistency, precision, and trust.

With minimal stockholding across modern food supply chains, logistics performance directly impacts product freshness, waste reduction, and commercial success.

Proving Capability Through Trial and Transparency

McCulla’s relationship with Cranswick began with a comprehensive trial programme designed to demonstrate operational capability and sustainability performance in real-world conditions.

Alan Thompson and the McCulla team conducted detailed trials across both Irish and UK routes using McCulla’s alternative fuel fleet, including biofuel-powered vehicles with the biofuel produced at McCulla’s own Alternity biofuel facility. By mirroring routes across both jurisdictions, McCulla was able to provide Cranswick with robust, data-driven cost analysis and environmental impact reporting.

This level of transparency gave Cranswick complete confidence - not only in service reliability but in the measurable sustainability benefits of the partnership.

John Brady, Head of Operations, Cranswick Country Foods Ballymena, commented:"From the outset, McCulla demonstrated that they understood our business, our standards, and our priorities. Their trial process gave us clear operational and environmental data, and just as importantly, the confidence that they could deliver consistently across both Ireland and the UK. Their approach was collaborative, transparent, and fully aligned with our commitment to quality and sustainability."

Meeting Non-Negotiable Standards

For Cranswick, several factors were non-negotiable when selecting a logistics partner:

• Absolute reliability and on-time delivery

• Deep understanding of food production and quality requirements

• Alignment with Cranswick’s environmental commitments

• A partnership approach built on trust and shared objectives

McCulla delivered across all fronts.

Regular CO₂ reporting, the use of alternative fuels, and the closed-loop sustainability model enabled through McCulla’s Alternity biofuel plant - which converts food waste into renewable fuel - demonstrated genuine environmental alignment.

Operationally, McCulla also implemented a dedicated product-out, Dolav return solution, ensuring Cranswick’s Dolav bins are efficiently returned to Ballymena for reuse. This closed-loop approach strengthens sustainability and reinforces the operational partnership between both organisations.

Strengthened by One Frio, Built on Family Values

The partnership was further reinforced by McCulla’s integration into the One Frio network, enhancing capability, scalability, and service resilience across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Combined with the legacy, experience, and values of the McCulla family business, this provided Cranswick with both heritage credibility and future-ready capability.

McCulla’s promise was clear: to operate not as a supplier, but as an extension of Cranswick’s own operation.

Alan Thompson, Sales Director, McCulla Ireland, said:"This partnership reflects what McCulla and One Frio stands for - building long-term relationships based on trust, performance, and shared values. From the trial stage through to full implementation, our focus was on understanding Cranswick’s operation in detail and delivering solutions that support their quality standards and sustainability goals. With the added strength of the One Frio network, we are proud to support Cranswick Ballymena as a strategic logistics partner for the future."

A Strategic Partnership for the Future

Following the successful trial period, McCulla was awarded full responsibility for Cranswick Ballymena’s transport operations across both sides of the Irish Sea.

The partnership delivers measurable benefits:

• Reliable, precision-controlled delivery protecting product quality

• Reduced environmental impact through alternative fuels and CO₂ monitoring

• Improved operational efficiency through integrated logistics solutions

• Scalable capability supported by the One Frio network

Most importantly, it represents a true strategic alignment between two organisations with shared values - operational excellence, sustainability leadership, and long-term partnership.

As food supply chains continue to evolve, the collaboration between Cranswick, McCulla, and One Frio demonstrates how logistics, when done right, becomes not just a service - but a competitive advantage.