Andrew Dawkins, who served as the CEO since the inception of the poultry manufacturer—established as a joint venture between Cargill’s UK fresh poultry business and Faccenda in February 2018—has been succeeded by Chris Hall.
Hall, who has been with Avara Foods since 2018, initially held the position of chief commercial officer before being promoted to chief operating officer in June 2023.
According to The Grocer, Dawkins will continue to be involved with the business as a non-executive director of Avara Foods Holdings. As he shared with The Grocer prior to his departure, “I will have an opportunity to support Chris and his team going forward as well as keep in touch with the many Avara friends and colleagues that have become a big part of my life.”
Additionally, Dawkins’ departure has also been noted on the Avara Foods Limited Companies House page. Filings indicate that Philip Proud and David Hidson have been removed from the board of directors.
Moreover, Robert Jennings, Robert Bywater, and Julian Culshaw were appointed as directors on June 1. Notably, Sonia Pollock was promoted to chief financial officer in February.
Dawkins, Proud, and Hidson were listed as directors when the company published its accounts for the period ending May 31, 2024, earlier this year. During this timeframe, the firm incurred a £49.4 million loss, largely attributed to its significant business restructuring. This process included the closure of two processing sites and the establishment of a new ‘added value’ facility.
Food Manufacture has reached out to Avara Foods for further comment regarding these developments.
In related news, more than 3,000 individuals and businesses have signed up for a group legal claim against Avara Foods. This lawsuit alleges that the company’s industrial-scale chicken production is the primary contributor to river water pollution in the region. In response, Avara Foods has labeled these claims as baseless.
