Day 077 - 25 Jan 95 - Page 16

     
     1        and Northern Ireland, do we find that 69 per cent of
     2        McKey's beef during 1994 came from those four parts of the
     3        British Isles or these islands, I should say?
     4        A.  Yes.
     5
     6   Q.   69 per cent.  The only significant source on the Continent
     7        is France with 16 per cent?
     8        A.  Yes.
     9
    10   Q.   Has the amount of EC beef which you have used increased
    11        over the years or is this just a one-off?
    12        A.  No, it has not increased because ever since we have
    13        been in the EC we have basically only been able to use beef
    14        from the economic union.  There are one or two exceptions,
    15        balance sheet beef, low (inaudible) agreement beef.
    16
    17   Q.   I was wondering, if we treat the EC as, effectively, one
    18        source, including all the British Isles and all of that --
    19        we will come to the Brazilian beef in 1983 much later on in
    20        your evidence -- but to what extent does your beef come
         from, for example, places like Australia or New Zealand or
    22        Argentina?
    23        A.  None.
    24
    25   Q.   None?
    26        A.  None.
    27
    28   Q.   That is beef.  What about the pigs from which you derive
    29        your pork; where are they raised?
    30        A.  All of the pork which we use is raised in England;
    31        specifically England, and one supplier in Scotland.
    32
    33   Q.   So, no Welsh pigs?
    34        A.  No Welsh pigs.
    35
    36   Q.   No Irish pigs?
    37        A.  No Irish pigs.
    38
    39   Q.   Was there a time when GD Bowes & Company, Watton, Norfolk,
    40        were your sole pig supplier?
         A.  Very much so, yes.
    42
    43   Q.   Is that so any more?
    44        A.  No, because of the expansion of the requirement from
    45        McDonald's, we have to spread our purchasing net wider.  We
    46        now have five suppliers of pork.
    47
    48   Q.   Have you visited Mr. Bowes', Kevin Bowes', establishment in
    49        Watton?
    50        A.  Yes, many times. 
    51 
    52   Q.   Is that just a slaughterhouse or does it have more to it 
    53        than that?
    54        A.  No, it is completely vertically integrated.  Bowes grow
    55        their own pigs and they have their own pig farms and their
    56        own slaughterhouse.
    57
    58   Q.   Do any of your suppliers operate in that, as I call it,
    59        cradle to grave way?
    60        A.  No.