Food Chain - Issue 213 - August 2026 | Page 160

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Egg availability rises and falls throughout the year as flocks move through production cycles, yet customers continue to expect consistency. Additional storage capacity will provide greater flexibility during periods of higher availability and help smooth supply throughout the year.
Technology plays a bigger role these days. By working with Hardeman’ s operations in the Netherlands, Bumble Hole has seen how automation can make a difference.“ Hardeman uses plenty of robotics to load machines and stack pallets, and it’ s something we’ re eager to bring to Bumble Hole,” Simon says.
Alongside operational investment, sustainability remains part of the agenda. Solar panels now cover most of the available roof space at the Bromsgrove facility, generating around 35 percent of the site’ s annual energy requirements. The company is exploring further options around energy recovery and efficiency improvements.
Flock management is a growing focus as avian influenza makes things tough for producers across Europe.“ Bird welfare means everything to us,” Simon says.
Quality and reliability
Across the wider Hardeman network, expansion continues. The business has significantly increased its scale over the last 18 months and is investing in new production infrastructure, including a major farming development in Poland. Additional laying capacity, processing capability, and expansion into new markets all help strengthen the group’ s presence across Europe, the UK, and Africa.
For Bumble Hole, those developments create opportunities to grow with a level of supply security that was previously
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