The Fleurieu Community Cooperative expects to reopen the Strathalbyn abattoir in August, after its closure in December 2020. 

Outgoing chair of the co-op, David Parsons, gave an update pf progress at a meeting at Strathalbyn Football Club on 28 June.

He told the meeting that abattoir manager Grant List has started work and that the co-op has recruited a member and stakeholder manager, Michelle Lally.

Works at the abattoir are well underway, including upgrades of the yards and stripping of key areas of the facility ready for upgrades.

The August reopening will aim to be at 30 percent capacity with a quick ramp up from there.

The abattoir will be South Australia’s first paddock-to-place co-operative, following a business case and investor offering sponsored by Regional Development Australia Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island.

A feasibility study and an extensive community survey led to a plan to reopen the abattoir on a cooperative model to ensure community involvement and long term financial sustainability.

It will cater to smaller producers who currently have to travel long distances or try to get a mobile abattoir service in.

The founding board has been replaced with a new board, including: 

• Grant Baker - Managing Director of consultancy firm PKF Accelerate, which specialises in commercialisation and digital transformation.
• Franklin dos Santos - Current Chief Executive Officer of Foodland Supermarkets.
• Warren McLean – CEO of the Master Butchers Co-operative Ltd.
• Trevor Paech - A beef producer from Hindmarsh Valley, owner of Gum Park Beef with wife Janelle.
• Ben Ryan - A sheep and cattle grazier, mostly at Deep Creek, and early adopters of the Regenerative Ag movement.