RANDERS, DENMARK — After a couple challenging years for Danish pork production, Danish Crown announced the decision to reduce the number of production sites in Denmark, beginning with its Ringsted plant. Danish Crown proposed the facility close mid-September 2024.

The closure would result in the loss of nearly 1,200 jobs.

“It is a heavy decision to close the abattoir in Ringsted, and especially to say goodbye to so many skilled and well-liked colleagues, but it is a necessary measure in our efforts to develop Danish Crown’s position as a modern food company,” said Jais Valeur, group chief executive officer at Danish Crown. “In making these changes, we are doing all we can to improve efficiency at the abattoirs and sell many more processed products to our key European customers.”

Danish Crown looks to consolidate its slaughtering activities to other facilities in Denmark, namely its locations in Horsens, Herning, Vejen and Blans near Sønderborg. Danish Crown added that there should be enough work for the Ringsted employees who wish to continue with the company to relocate to one of the other four facilities.

With the closure, Danish Crown will be able to invest approximately DKK 250 million ($35.7 million) into the other four facilities over the next three years. The investments are expected to create up to 300 new jobs in Horsens, Herning, Vejen and Blans.

Danish Crown’s investments are guided by the aim of increasing production of processed pork products like bacon and pepperoni.

The company first shifted its business strategy from primarily being a supplier of raw materials to customers worldwide to increasing the value of Danish pork through the production of sustainable, processed foods in 2021.

Danish Crown has since invested nearly DKK 1 billion ($143 million) in a new state-of-the-art bacon facility in Rochdale, United Kingdom, where its annual production is more than 200 million packets of bacon.