Companies on both sides of Border now under focus

BACKGROUND:McAdam Food Services Ltd, the meat trader that has been linked to the developing burger scandal, is owned by Martin and Joan McAdam, who live in Newbliss, Co Monaghan.

The latest accounts for the company, which has its registered offices at Lisdarragh House, Newbliss, show that it had accumulated profits of €107,839 at the end of October, 2010.

The abridged and unaudited accounts for the year to that date are the latest accounts filed to the Companies Registration Office. No profit figure is given in the accounts. The company was incorporated in November 2005.

According to the website for the business, the meat export and wholesale supplier has 17 years’ experience.

Mr McAdam (43) and Ms McAdam (40) are also directors of McAdam Food Products Ltd (incorporated December 2011) and were former directors of Round Tower Food Service Ltd (incorporated 1999 and dissolved in 2005). Mr McAdam is also a former director of a company called Boneco Ltd.

Freeza Meats Ltd, with an address in Newry, Co Down, which has said it held McAdam product in storage last year after being requested to do so, is owned by Plunkett Matthews, Paul Mackle, Carol Mackle and Edward Joseph Mackle. The directors of the company are Mr Matthew and Mr Edward Joseph Mackle.

Abbreviated accounts for the year to the end of August 2011, show that at that date the company had accumulated profits of £1.95 million. The company’s website says it supplies frozen burgers to the UK and European market.

‘Top-quality beef’

Rangeland Foods Ltd, which was supplied with beef products from Poland by McAdam which tested positive for horse DNA, describes itself on its website as Ireland’s number one producer of beef burgers for the food service industry.

“All our products are manufactured using only top-quality Irish beef and best manufacturing practice with full traceability from farm to plate.”

The Castleblayney-based company is owned by Rangeland Holdings Ltd which is in turn owned by James, Alice, Aoife, Julie and James T Lucey, all with an address at Lacklum, Iniskeen, Co Louth.

Rangeland Foods made a pre-tax profit of €1.5 million in 2011, according to its latest accounts. Rangeland Holdings made a profit after tax of €111,186 in 2001, according to its latest accounts.