www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0608/1224248279068.html
Nominee: Vincent Carton, Carton Group Ltd
VINCENT CARTON is managing director of Carton Group, one of Ireland’s oldest family businesses. It can trace its origin back to 1775 when Peter Carton set up a livery stable around Dublin’s fruit and vegetable markets to look after the horses of shopkeepers while they bought their provisions and meat for their shops.
Recognising some time later that there was no poultry market, he set one up and became a poulterer, trading all forms of poultry and game which was sent to Cartons by rail from the farmyards of Ireland.
Today, Carton is Ireland’s largest integrated chicken processor, based in Shercock, Co Cavan, where it processes 600,000 birds per week and produces 120,000 tonnes of chicken feed a year.
Integrated, in that Carton is responsible for all stages of the life cycle of the chicken and works closely in long-term partnership with farmers, suppliers and customers.
Vincent and his brother Justin are the eight generation to run the business. Carton employs 640 people throughout the year and 750 during the summer months.
In addition to this the company has 150 breeder, broiler and free-range farmers. The company recorded a turnover of €165 million in 2009 and the payroll costs came to €20.3 million.
Product
Ninety-nine per cent of wholebirds and fillets are sold fresh either packaged or loose. Chicken is Ireland’s favourite meat but Irish people tend to like white meat over dark, so for every eight fillets sold in Irish retail only one leg is sold leaving seven legs to be frozen down and sold in foreign markets, primarily Eastern Europe.
The company launched 122 new chicken products in the Irish market in 2008.
Customers
The company’s primary market is the Irish retail market where the main multiple groups dominate. SuperValu/Centra, Dunnes Stores, Tesco Ireland and Superquinn are the key customers but the company also has a significant share in the independent retailers/butchers segment.
What motivates you to succeed?
My motivation comes from producing great chicken, from working with a great team of people in a part of the country that I love and with customers who constantly challenge us. I firmly believe that Irish chicken is better and fresher than our competitors and I am immensely proud of our ability to compete effectively with massive international chicken corporations.
What is the best business advice you have ever received?
Integrate as much as you can. That is, try to cut out middlemen between you and the customer and always in food – get closer to the mouth!!
How do you recharge your batteries?
My wife and I have five wonderful daughters who occupy most of our quality time. Outside of family, tennis, gardening and following sports are my main interests.