A SALTCOATS-based abbatoir whose Irish owners supply meat to the McDonald’s fast-food chain has been the biggest beneficiary in the latest round of the Scottish Government’s Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation (FPMC) grants.

Highland Meats, which has been owned by County Waterford business Dawn Meats since 1986, has been awarded almost £2.4 million, which will be used to upgrade its slaughterhouse and meat processing plant.

Dawn Meats has been supplying McDonald’s with beef since 2012.

Highland Meats is one of 16 businesses to receive funding in the latest award round, with the total being handed out sitting at £5.8m.

A number of other meat-related businesses were successful in the latest round, with beef-processing business ABP Perth, Simon Howie Butchers and Sandyford Abattoir receiving £667,000, £517,000 and £100,000 respectively to upgrade their facilities.

The main criteria for the grant is that applicants are food or drink processors and that their project contributes to the Scottish Government’s goal of promoting sustainable growth within the food and drink sector.

Rural economy minister Fergus Ewing said the awards “clearly demonstrate” the government’s “continuing commitment to help food and drink companies large and small take their businesses to the next level, building on our reputation as a land of food and drink”.

Since it was launched in 2007 the FPMC has supported 230 food and drink processors to the tune of £71.2m. Just over a third of the money comes from Europe, with the remainder coming out of the national budget. The current scheme will run until 2020.