Soglowek is completing the establishment of a new, fully automated sausage factory in Shlomi, located just a few hundred meters from the northern border. Spanning an area of about 2,000 square meters and built with an investment of approximately NIS 120 million, the factory represents one of the largest industrial investments made in the Galilee region over the past two decades, and the most significant near the border since the outbreak of the war.
The new facility includes production lines operating with full automation and without human contact, which are controlled and monitored from the start of the process to its end. The technology in the factory is used by leading global companies, with only about 40 production lines at this level existing worldwide. The move is designed to significantly increase production capacity and provide a solution to the growing demand in recent years for sausages in general, and for boutique and premium sausages in particular. Among other things, the factory will support the production of the boutique sausages recently announced by the company in collaboration with Chef Moshik Roth, who launched the Frankco chain.
Soglowek invests NIS 120 million in automated sausage factory near Lebanon border
Work on the project lasted about two and a half years, with the outbreak of the war leading to a delay of about six months in the schedule. The delay mainly stemmed from the need for technicians and engineers to arrive from abroad to operate the specialized equipment and machinery. This occurred against the backdrop of restrictions by international entities, including the US and European countries, prohibiting their citizens from entering areas north of Route 85. Despite the security constraints and complexity, the company managed to bring the project to completion and operation.
Zion Balas, chairman of Soglowek, said: "The decision to complete an investment of NIS 120 million in Shlomi, hundreds of meters from the border and during the complex period the North has experienced, expresses our long-term commitment to the region and to our employees. The employees, suppliers, and partners continued to advance the project even under challenging conditions. The new factory will allow us to expand production in Israel and bring capabilities and technologies that are at the forefront of the global industry to the market."
This move joins additional strategic steps by Soglowek, which operates from the Western Galilee and employs hundreds of workers. Last August, marking one year since the investment fund AP Partners became a major shareholder in the company, Soglowek announced the acquisition of a 70% controlling stake in the Plant & Bean factory in Thailand, which specializes in meat substitutes and plant-based products.
The company, which marks 89 years of activity this year since its establishment from a small family butcher shop, has also recently undergone managerial changes: Zion Balas, former CEO of Strauss Israel and Strauss Coffee International, was appointed active chairman of the group, while Eli Soglowek was appointed president of international operations.