The poultry processor has an arrangement with Devon Animal Save, which sees lorries carrying chickens stop outside the facility for a number of minutes, so the activists can “show them a last bit of compassion, because it’s their final moments in the life”.
Devon Animal Save said 2 Sisters was “really good with us, where some places don’t like us at all”. It was the model example of how to build a good relationship with activists, Devon Animal Save said.
‘A really good example’
One of the activist group’s organisers Chris Hines told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “2 Sisters is a really good example of how to work with activists. It’s been really refreshing to have someone that actually talks to us. We can ask them anything, and they’re very open about it.
“We’ve got a really respectful relationship with them, which is great, and that doesn’t happen with all manufacturers. I know of places across the country that can be quite hostile. It’s the kind of thing that we wish other places would really take on-board.”
Devon Animal Save holds peaceful protests across the county. They were not there to disrupt business or workers, but to bear witness to the animals themselves, Hines said.
They have visited 2 Sisters’ Willand factory, Cullompton, about 10 times (see video below). The factory workers signalled trucks carrying chickens to stop, so the activists could walk up to the birds and comfort them.
‘Happy to answer our questions’
“One of the chaps from 2 Sisters comes out and stands with us, just to make sure we’re alright, and he’s happy to answer our questions,” Hines said.
“He’s actually trying to organise a factory tour for a few of us so we can go inside and see the process for ourselves.”
The Willand factory processes about 1M chickens a week. 2 Sisters bought the site in 2008, and it’s now a specialist site for organic, free-range and standard whole birds.
2 Sisters declined to comment on the pressure group’s claims.