Meat Management is saddened to report the death of Carsten Jakobsen, which occurred over the Christmas period on 23rd December 2022. He was aged 77.
Carsten Jakobsen was an influential figure in the global meat industry having joined the Becketts Food Group as its chairman in 2011, and with his strategic vision the business soon became a multi-site company producing over a 1,000 tonnes of bacon and gammon a week. He was also seen as the driving force around the creation and development of the other Tönnies subsidiary CPC Foods Ltd.
The company now has five successful food production sites in the UK: Beckett's Foods Ltd, C&K Meats Ltd, Direct Table Foods Ltd, Pro-Pak Foods Ltd and Riverway Foods Ltd. In the past few years, Jakobsen had handed over the management to Andy Clarke and Joe Cornes, who were able to lead the company into the next generation and expand strategically.
Jakobsen was also a vice president and past festival chairman of the Butchers' & Drovers' Charitable Institution and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Butchers.
In a company statement Andy Clarke said: "Carsten was not only an absolute industry expert who really cared about the employees and the company but above all a great person. With him we lose a visionary and true friend. Our thoughts are with his wife and two sons. He will be greatly missed by everyone who worked with him and by the UK and European food industry.”
Meat Management understands that his family have asked for privacy at a difficult time.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
