Tributes have been paid following the death of Dawn Meats co-founder Daniel (Dan) Browne, who passed away yesterday (Tuesday, June 24) at the age of 88.

The board of Dawn Meats expressed its "deepest condolences to Mr. Browne’s wife, Kay, and his family at this difficult time".

The Dawn Meats statement described the late Dan Browne as "a pioneering figure in Irish agriculture", who "made an outstanding contribution to the Irish agri-food industry, and the meat industry in particular".

"He was also a valued member of the board of Dawn Meats and through his wise counsel, he continued to play a key role in the further success of the company."

"Through his work at Dawn Meats and his wider contribution to agriculture and the agri-food industry, Mr. Browne leaves a lasting legacy and he will be greatly missed."

The Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) CEO Danny McCoy said: “It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Dan Browne, a distinguished and highly respected figure in Irish business.

"Dan was a visionary leader whose commitment to ethical, sustainable, and environmentally conscious practices set new standards in the Irish food sector. Through his chairmanship of both Teagasc and Bord Bia, he was a tireless advocate for the broader Irish food industry. 

"Dan’s passing is a profound loss, and he will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of working with or knowing him.

"We extend our deepest condolences to Dan’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”

The Teagasc Authority, management and staff also issued a statement saying it is "saddened to learn of the passing of Dan Browne, former chairman of the Teagasc Authority".

Current Teagasc chairman, Liam Herlihy paid tribute to Dan Browne saying: “Dan made a massive contribution to Irish agriculture during his lifetime, from his early days as a research scientist in AFT in Johnstown Castle and Moorepark, to his time as chief executive of Dawn Meats.

"He constantly sought to use the latest science to improve the productivity of Irish farms.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Kay and all the Browne family."

The Teagasc statement outlined many of the key positions the late Dan Brown held in his lifetime but also noted that in recent years, "he continued to play an important in developing the beef industry".

"In 2015 in collaboration with Teagasc, Dawn Meats and McDonald’s, he was instrumental in establishing the Newford Suckler Herd demonstrating best practices in sustainable beef production," the statement added.

The late Dan Browne was from a farming background in Douglas, Co. Cork and started his career as a research scientist.

He worked with An Foras Talúntais, the agricultural research institute, initially at the grassland research centre at Johnstown Castle in Co. Wexford before moving back to Co. Cork in 1959, where he developed a national dairy research centre at Moorepark, outside Fermoy.

Browne was the third scientist to be recruited to Moorepark and was central in building a world-class centre there over the following 15 years.

In 1974, he left the world of research for the meat industry, becoming manager of the Cork Marts IMP plant at Midleton, Co. Cork.

In 1980, Browne, along with John Queally and the late Peter Queally, established Dawn Meats in Co. Waterford.

He served as managing director of the company, a position he held for 27 years. Under his leadership, Dawn Meats quickly developed into one of Europe’s leading meat processing companies.

Browne retired from his role as managing director in 2007, but continued to be a board member of Dawn Meats and a key adviser to the company’s leadership as it grew into a business with over €3 billion in annual revenue, employing over 8,000 staff in 12 countries.

In 2011, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science from University College Dublin (UCD), where he had previously studied, in recognition of his vision, leadership, innovation, and outstanding contribution to agricultural developments.

Browne also served as chair of the board at Teagasc from 1993 to 1998 and chair of the board of An Bord Bia from 2008 to 2011. He was also chair of Waterford Airport since 2010.

He is survived by his wife Kay, children Paddy, Aoidin, Colm, Niall and 10 grandchildren. Niall has served as chief executive of Dawn Meats since 2007.

Dawn Meats is a key supplier to a range of leading supermarket, food service and manufacturing businesses, exporting to more than 50 countries.

As a family-owned business, Dawn Meats "remains true to its farming heritage" through the relationships it has forged with over 40,000 family farms from which it directly sources grass-fed cattle and lamb for processing at its 11 Irish and 13 UK sites.

Dawn Meats works with some of the world’s leading food companies who are attracted by a commitment to sustainability and quality.

Trading as Dunbia in the UK and Dawn Meats in Ireland, the combined businesses process approximately 1 million cattle and 3.5 million sheep annually.