Lincolnshire-based egg company L.J. Fairburn & Son has appointed three industry heavyweights to its management team to support its continued growth and rapid investment program.
Nigel Butcher is the family-owned firm’s new agriculture director, Yvonne Hynd is the new technical director, and Davey Hynd, has been named rearing manager. With over 90 years’ industry experience between them, the trio brings a wealth of knowledge to Fairburn’s which has grown to become one of the largest independent egg producers and packers in the United Kingdom.
The new leaders will help CEO Daniel Fairburn and his fellow family directors continue to develop the dynamic business, which boasts agriculture, production, packing and distribution arms, and supplies many of the U.K.’s leading food retailers with millions of eggs every week.
Daniel Fairburn said: “Our business has achieved rapid growth and expansion in recent years, and we needed the best possible people in the industry to help support us and further strengthen our management team. I’m delighted to welcome Nigel, Yvonne and Davey who will help us drive Fairburn’s further forward in the next phase of our development and enhance our existing knowledge base, as well as that of our customers who are so vital to our business.”
Nigel Butcher
Formerly U.K. managing director at leading poultry breeding company Hy-Line, Butcher is now responsible for Fairburn’s hens and specialty breeds, assisting with new product development. With over 35 years’ experience in the industry, he qualified in poultry husbandry before moving in to scientific research and then the commercial poultry sector. Before joining Hy-line, he was general manager for agriculture at Noble Foods.
Yvonne Hynd
As technical director, Yvonne is now in charge of technical quality standards and compliance at Fairburn’s. Six years ago, she was part of the team that helped Fairburn’s transition from being a contract producer to the successful stand-alone producer and packer it is today. She rejoins the firm after working as a consultant and then for the Lakes Free Range Egg Company. Yvonne also had a long career background with Noble Foods.
Davey Hynd
Rearing Manager Davey Hynd is taking charge of Fairburn’s new state-of-the-art rearing farm. Having started in the industry in 1977, he has worked for many of the industry’s leading names and has extensive experience of poultry production and rearing management.
About L.J. Fairburn & Son
A third-generation family business, based in Alford in Lincolnshire, Fairburn’s supplies 17 million British Lion-approved eggs each week to seven leading retailers. Established in 1951 by Leslie James Fairburn with just 150 chickens, the multi-million-pound business is now run by his grandson Daniel, alongside granddaughters Sarah and Caroline, and Daniel’s wife Sarah-Louise.
In 2013, Fairburn’s took the decision to switch from being a contract producer for a large brand to setting up on its own. Since then it has invested heavily in state-of-the-art equipment, land and livestock, and signed contracts with many of the UK’s major multiples, plus launched its own award-winning specialty products and has actively built its own network of farming producers. It is now one of the largest independent egg producers and packers in the country, employing over 280 local Lincolnshire staff, purchasing 80,000 metric of feed from farmers in the county last year. In 2017 it won Family Farming Business of the Year in the British Farming Awards.
