Fertile egg exporter HiBreeds wins Queen’s award

Hatching egg exporter HiBreeds International has received a Queen’s Award for International Trade – the third time it has been recognised in this way.

The Norfolk business, run by Laura and Nick Chandler, works in partnership with Almarai Food Group in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Moy Park to supply fertile eggs to the Middle East.

Truckloads of 200,000 eggs

Daily flights are supplied with truckloads of 200,000 eggs at a time, produced on farms throughout Ulster. Last year the company shipped more than 70m Ross 308 fertile eggs via land, sea and road in to Saudi Arabia. “With an 80% hatch, a crack rate below 1%, and total freedom from disease guaranteed by HiBreeds, this is not business for the faint-hearted,” said a statement.

More than 350m hatching eggs

The company has shipped more than 350m hatching eggs in to the Middle East since it first started in 1998, and achieved cumulative export revenue in excess of £120m.

HiBreeds previously won the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2003 and 2011, in recognition of strong export growth. Mr Chandler said he aimed to take the business to African markets, to help establish a local food production programme, “to bring high-quality protein from healthy British chickens”.

Source: Farmers Weekly