Not everyone may know that the former Production Branch of the Meat Processing Plant in Jelenia Góra has been an independent enterprise since January 1, 1992. It employs more than 200 people, has its own director (previously, there was a manager), and, in addition to its expanding circle of local customers, has a regular customer in Sweden. “Our products are cheaper, but above all healthier,” says director Mieczysław Juszczyk, MSc Eng.
We export extra beef from young cattle, with the membranes removed, to Sweden. The Meat Processing Plant also offers this export-quality meat to Bolesławiec residents in its shops. Unfortunately, there are too few of these shops—only two, not counting the one located at the plant.
The Meat Processing Plant approached the city authorities about being allocated premises in the city, but the proposed premises, formerly a bar on 1 Maja Street, required an excessively costly major renovation and adaptation. The plant could not allocate a larger sum of money, especially since it had undertaken and was successfully carrying out the construction of a wastewater pre-treatment facility. The environmentally focused work will cost 3.5 billion zlotys, and much still remains to be done.
In general, much has changed at the plant since its transformation into an independent enterprise. Local residents are no longer affected by bothersome odors to the same extent; certain production processes have been hermetically sealed. It is worth emphasizing that the Meat Processing Plant in Bolesławiec has the best refrigeration facilities in the Lower Silesian region, stainless-steel equipment, and good machinery. The production of healthy food is also supported by wholesome and reliable raw materials, inspected and supervised by the two employed veterinarians.
Finally, there is the enterprise’s staff, whom Director Juszczyk describes as “true artists in their profession.”
They work in difficult conditions: cold (a subzero temperature is essential), humidity, sharp tools, unpredictable working hours, and, at the same time, export-quality requirements. Wages are not particularly high. “We would have to raise product prices or give up essential modernization investments. We could also dismiss some of the staff and obtain funds that way. However, we would increase the number of unemployed,” says Kazimiera Zmitrukiewicz, chair of the Workers’ Council.
Asked to what extent Bolesławiec residents notice changes at the Meat Processing Plant in terms of prices and products, the director and the chair of the Workers’ Council answer: the price of livestock has risen by 20 percent, while the prices of our products have risen by only 10 percent. We make up the difference through cost-saving measures so as not to raise prices. Thanks to us, the “competition” cannot raise its prices excessively either. We can therefore say that we are, in a way, shaping lower prices—it would be good if the city’s residents knew this; compared with the second quarter of this year, production has risen by 50 percent. We are therefore expanding our sales market, helped by the fact that we are acquiring many new recipes for cold cuts and returning to old, proven recipes. We have increased the number of cold-cut varieties from 21 to 30. We wish the Meat Processing Plant in Bolesławiec success in acquiring new premises in the city, and in those premises, a wide selection of healthy and tasty meat products for our consumers.