Former German slaughterhouse of Vion closes its doors

The medium-sized German slaughterhouse Fleischcenter Perleberg, previously owned by Vion, decided to close its doors on October 29. The closure does not come as a surprise. Both the pig sector and the cattle sector are struggling with an oversupply of slaughter hooks. The pig processing facility of the organization was under Vion's control until March 2024. Due to the company's withdrawal from Germany, it sold the location to Uhlen GmbH. At the location, about 20,000 pigs are slaughtered each week. The reason cited is that Germany cannot export to China due to African swine fever in the country. The rising costs of labor and energy have also impacted the margin. Trend The closure is not an isolated case. In recent years, several major players, including Danish Crown and Vion, have closed locations, particularly in the north of the country. Although the supply of meat pigs in Northern Europe has now significantly recovered compared to a year ago, there were instances this year where the slaughter hooks were not filled. It is therefore expected that slaughterhouses in Northern Europe will further adjust their capacity downward. Notably, slaughterhouse Tönnies in Ahlen, Germany, also closed a former Vion location this summer, where hams were processed. The location was also taken over from Vion in 2024.