Marks & Spencer has deepened its ties to British livestock farming with a £2.1bn commitment that will keep lamb and beef flowing through long-term deals with ABP and Dunbia, the retailer said. The agreements, which run for a decade, are designed to give M&S year-round access to British meat while preserving exclusivity for its Wagyu Gold, Aberdeen Angus Gold and Organic lines.

The company said the move will involve 3,500 M&S Select Farmers and is intended to give producers greater certainty at a time when farm businesses face rising costs and the need to invest in equipment, technology and more efficient methods. According to M&S, the longer contracts should help underpin that investment by offering a more stable commercial backdrop.

Under the arrangements, Dunbia plans to install salt drying chambers dedicated to M&S, while ABP will work with the retailer on packaging and cutting equipment and faster production lines. The Grocer reported that the contracts are part of M&S’s broader effort to support demand for beef while strengthening supply chain resilience.

The announcement also fits into M&S’s wider Plan A farming strategy, which runs to 2030 and centres on British sourcing, sustainability, high standards and resilience. Separate reporting from Farming UK and the M&S corporate newsroom said the retailer has recently expanded its farming support agenda more widely, including a larger push to back British agriculture and encourage regenerative practices across its supplier base.

Alex Freudmann, managing director of M&S Food, said British farmers were central to the retailer’s quality and welfare standards, adding that long-term sourcing commitments were needed to give producers confidence to invest for the future. Kevin Cahill, chief executive of ABP UK, said the decade-long deal would help the supply chain plan ahead and give farmers greater security.