Dutch meat businessVion Food Group plans to temporarily suspend operations at its new EUR20m (US$23.4m) beef abattoir in the north of the Netherlands as it seeks to fix ”teething problems”.

The Leeuwarden-based facility only opened in March having been kitted out to meet all the necessary animal welfare and environmental standards under EU certified rules. The site has the capability to process 2,500 heads of cattle a week. 

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

But Vion said today (25 May) that some ”technical modifications” need to be made at the facility.

In a statement, the company said: ”Vion has ascertained that a few small details need to be improved at the beef abattoir, which was designed using the latest insights. The past few months have been used productively to identify and investigate the ‘teething problems’ that can occur in a new and advanced beef abattoir such as that in Leeuwarden.”  

Additionally, Vion said that inspections at the site had revealed what it called a ”different picture” to other abattoirs in the Netherlands and will investigate the anomalies during the unspecified suspension period. The company added that it had been in touch with the Dutch Food and Consumer Goods Authority on the issue.
 

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact