Wrexham, North Wales: – Maelor Foods, one of the UK’s leading poultry processing facilities, is celebrating the easing of a planning restriction that has capped its production capacity. The approval ultimately enables the site to process 2 million birds per week, twice that of today, although the business plans a modest increase of 25% over the next 18 months — a crucial step in meeting growing demand for fresh British chicken.
The Wrexham-based facility, which first began production in 2017, has seen rapid growth. Supported by a Welsh Government Grant the owners transformed what was an idle factory on the edge of the Wrexham Industrial Estate into a state-of-the-art processing plant. By 2020, it had doubled throughput from 400,000 to 800,000 birds per week, eventually reaching its planning- imposed ceiling of 1 million birds per week early in 2021. Since then, demand from retail, food service, and manufacturing customers has consistently outstripped available capacity.
The planning restriction, imposed by Wrexham Council, is unique among UK poultry facilities in that it directly limited the number of units processed each week. Its removal follows more than two years of determined work by Maelor Foods, supported by expert consultants. In June 2024, a key breakthrough came when Natural Resources Wales issued a permit confirming that with Maelor’s planned environmental investment and control measures, the plant could operate at twice its current capacity with a reduced environmental impact when compared with that of today.
“This is a hugely important moment for our business,” said Ricky Mehta, Site Director for Maelor Foods. “We’ve invested significantly in our people, our infrastructure, and our processes to ensure that we are not only meeting demand, but leading the industry in responsible, sustainable poultry production. Our ethos is mirrored in our sister business, Salisbury Poultry, where our Family values and the mantra of best available technology continue to positively differentiate us in what is a hugely competitive sector. We’re also proud to be a finalist in the Poultry Business of the Year category at the National Egg and Poultry Awards, recognising our achievements over recent years
Despite the lifted restriction, challenges remain. A shortage of poultry farming space in the UK is limiting overall production potential — a challenge the industry continues to raise with planning authorities. Maelor Foods has been proactive in tackling these constraints, working closely with its farming partners and customers to find scalable, long-term solutions.
One such solution is rooted in animal welfare. In January 2025, Maelor Foods transitioned all its growing operations to a reduced stocking density of 17 birds per square metre, down from 21; an improvement that has been warmly received by customers and consumers. This change, aligned with evolving welfare expectations, requires 20% more farming space to maintain output.
“Our commitment to welfare and sustainability is central to who we are,” Ricky added. “We’re proud to be setting a higher standard for the sector, and we’re now focused on securing the farming capacity that will allow us to continue leading the way in British poultry. Today’s decision is a significant milestone, and I would personally like to thank the Planning Committee and Officers for their engagement throughout this process”
With demand showing no sign of slowing and a newly unlocked ability to grow, Maelor Foods is set to play an even more vital role in the UK’s food supply chain, supporting jobs, British farming, and food security across the country.