UP AND RUNNING Pictured at the official opening of Irish Pet Foods at the Quay in Westport were, from left: Michael Ring, TD, Minister of State for Regional Economic Development; Michael Cantwell, Enterprise Ireland and Rasim Selçuk, CEO, Irish Pet Foods. Pic: Michael McLaughlin
Neill O'Neill
WESTPORT’S newest industry was officially opened last Friday, and pet food can now be added to the list of products manufactured and exported from the town to a global market.
Located in the old Skretting (formerly Trouw) fish feed facility at Westport Harbour, the new business, which manufactures dry dog and cat food, currently employs six people. This number is expected to increase to 15 within two years.
Irish Pet Foods is owned by prominent Turkish businessman Mr Rasim Selçuk, who has already invested €3 million in the project and expects to invest another €2 million building up the business. At present all the product is exported to Turkey, where it is packaged for Mr Selçuk’s established market. He plans expansion into the UK and other European markets in the future.
Mr Selçuk, a feedmill machinery and petfood entrepreneur in Turkey, originally came to Ireland with the intention of purchasing machinery from the Skretting fish-food manufacturing plant. However, the town and area made a deep impression on him and instead he acquired the entire factory complete with machinery and set about changing it to a pet-food manufacturing unit.
Today it is a high-spec, fully automated feed mill plant capable of producing several thousand tonnes of product each year.
Irish Pet Foods currently manufactures economy pet food under the brand name ‘Buddy’ and is in the process of launching super premium brands ‘Pet’s Choice’ and a second economy brand called ‘Yes’.
Mr Selçuk’s background is in aeronautical engineering and he has a machinery manufacturing plant in Izmir, from where he now exports to 20 countries, including Ireland, under the name Feedtech Machinery Ltd. His parents were in Westport for the opening of his latest plant last Friday.
While not unheard of, Turkish investment in Ireland is somewhat rare, and this is the first Turkish investment in the country’s food or pet-food sector.
Strong message
Speaking at the opening, which was held in a convivial atmosphere, with great hospitality afforded to guests by Mr Selçuk and his company, Minister of State for Regional Economic Development Michael Ring complimented Enterprise Ireland on its work in securing the investment for Westport.
“Today there is a very strong message going out, in an international company coming in here from Turkey, a company that is going to set up and manufacture and sell abroad.”
Minister Ring spoke about Brexit and the changes and challenges that is bringing to Ireland, and why he feels the consequences of their decision might yet be regretted by the British people, and he wished the owners and staff of Irish Pet Foods well in the new venture. Minister Ring also welcomed the many Turkish investors, executives, and representatives of the Turkish embassy to Westport, as well as Mr Selçuk’s parents.
“I was pleased to see the colours you chose for the packaging of your products, the green and red of Mayo. Well we are waiting over 65 years for All-Ireland success, but maybe if we give them some pet food it might make the difference,” he joked.
“We have strong local companies here, major international companies, we have a strong work ethic in this town and I thank you for choosing to locate here and wish you all the best in that,” he said to Mr Selçuk.
Explaining his fondness for Westport, Mr Selçuk spoke of the importance of the day for him, and explained how he had come to invest in Ireland.
Special places
“I’m very proud to be officially launching this business today. During my lifetime I have travelled to more than 100 countries on seven continents, but I must honestly say that Westport is one of the most special places I have ever seen. It is a very beautiful place. I am also very proud to open a business here in Westport, and to offer employment to local people and contribute to the town in that way.”
He thanked Enterprise Ireland for their support during the challenges of getting the plant up and running, before offering a gift of a Turkish good luck charm to everybody present.
Michael Cantwell, Manager of Enterprise Ireland’s Food Division, said his organisation was ‘most impressed’ with Mr Selçuk’s ‘integrity and business accumen’.
“We are delighted to welcome him into the growing Irish pet-food industry. We see this as high value employment and welcome it very much. This is a growing sector in Ireland and the pet-food industry here employs approximately 600 people and has output of over €350 million. This plant was a daunting task but Rasim saw the potential, he had the vision and the competence to transform it from a fish-food factory and to see the future for it,” he said.
The Commercial Counsellor of the Turkish Embassy in Ireland, Ibrahim Ozkaya, also addressed the room, speaking of the pride of Turkish people in the setting up of a Turkish company in Ireland, something he hoped could be a template for future investment. The vice-president of the Turkish Feed Millers Association also spoke through an interpreter.
