BACKGROUND INFO
About us
Cefetra Ltd is one of the major traders of grains and animal feed raw materials in the UK and Ireland.
With long-term arrangements at strategically selected import facilities with a specialised network of suppliers, objective market analysis and a trusted approach to quality and sustainability, we’re ideally positioned to meet customer requirements whilst reducing risk and increasing efficiency.
We dispatch between 85,000 – 90,000 tonnes of raw materials to industry partners every week and deliver 750 – 850 lorry loads per day.
We have circa 1 million tonnes of storage capacity supported by state of the art processing technology and the best expertise in the industry.
Through a tailor-made approach, using our network of suppliers and objective market analysis, we create real value for our customers whilst reducing risk and increasing efficiency.
Our products are used for animal feed and throughout the food and drink sector. We supply products to food producers in sectors including dairy, beef, lamb, poultry, pork, salmon, beer, bread, biscuits, breakfast cereals & pet food.
WHERE WE COME FROM
Company history
Cefetra’s roots can be traced back as far back as 1778, when we were known as William McCorkell & Co.
William McCorkell & Co developed its business over many years, progressively expanding the agricultural products it handled. In 1985, and known as ‘McCorkell Limited’, we began importing animal feed materials into Lisahally, Northern Ireland from multiple origins around the world.
We initially expanded our outreach further through Ireland and then in 1992 established McCorkell Scotland Limited as the dedicated supply chain manager for Scotland and Northern England.
In 1999, Cefetra BV, a trading firm based in the Netherlands, invested in McCorkell Scotland resulting in the creation of Cefetra.
In the years following we received further investment from German agri-business BayWa, providing us with access to global supply chains and we now operate within one of the top agri-businesses in Europe.
In 2015, we acquired Wessex Grain – a farm grain buying business trading across the south and south-west of England – to expand our presence throughout the UK and develop into a major agri-service company in the UK and Ireland. Through the acquisition, our business division ‘Cefetra Grain’ was created and we increased storage capacity by a further 70,000 tonnes while strengthening our existing co-operative relationship with farmers.
In February 2018 Cefetra Ltd acquired Premium Crops, Hampshire based leading provider of premium and specialist crops in the UK. Premium Crops focuses on High Erucic Acid Rapeseed (HEAR), spring and winter linseed, red wheat, canary seed, millet and naked oats. The acquisition further enhances Cefetra’s capabilities to purchase grains and oilseeds direct from UK farmers.
GEOGRAPHY
Cefetra across Europe
Cefetra has several office in Europe. You can find us in England, Scotland, Austria, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland.
Cefetra Ltd
In order to be able to source a wide variety of raw materials, Cefetra has carefully built up a global network of producers and now ships raw materials – including grains, protein and co-products – from all over the world to North-West and Central Europe.
PHILOSOPHY
Culture & Values
We place great emphasis on the sustainability of both our suppliers and customers, developing a business that can deliver profitability on a consistent basis.
The cornerstone of Cefetra is our partnership approach, and through fostering a culture of co-operation we have grown significantly and developed many strong relationships.
At Cefetra, we don’t define ourselves by a single mission or vision statement. Instead, we let our actions speak through a powerful combination of values and behaviours that guide the way we work. These aren’t just words on a wall, they’re principles we live by, shaping our decisions, our relationships, and our impact.
The word wall reflects how we think, act, and support one another. Phrases like Customer First, Can Do Attitude, Trusted, Loyal, and Innovative are not abstract ideals, they represent how each of us shows up every day. They come from how our colleagues describe our culture and how our customers experience working with us. It’s this authenticity, flexibility, and drive for sustainability and integrity that form the bedrock of Cefetra.
To bring this to life in practice, we follow the Cefetra Behavioural Framework – a practical, people-first approach that shows how we work and grow together. At its centre are six core behaviours:
- Team Working
- Delivering Successful Outcomes
- Organisational Awareness
- Customer Focus
- Sustainability
- Delivering Change & Improvements
These are supported by the principles of Collaboration, Trust, and Innovation, which shape how we connect across teams and deliver for our partners.
This framework isn’t just a model. It’s a shared commitment. A culture that’s not declared in slogans but demonstrated in how we work, with purpose, together.
opportunities
Looking for a career at Cefetra?
We’re always interested in hearing from ambitious, passionate and hardworking professionals.
If you’d like to join our team working for one of the UK’s leading agribusinesses, please send your CV to: careers@cefetra.co.uk
