Rolled out under the ‘Space to Thrive’ concept in a measure called stocking density, all birds in the range will not exceed 30kg of chicken per metre square. According to 2 Sisters, birds will have 30% more room than standard ranges, offering them more room to roam and display natural behaviours.
From today (February 28), all of the Co-op’s fresh whole chicken will now meet the 30kg requirement.
Welfare milestone
Ranjit Singh, owner & President of 2 Sister’s parent company Boparan Holdings, said the partnership with the Co-op was the latest milestone in the company’s journey to transform its poultry operations to produce happier, healthier birds.
“We’ve listened very closely to our customers – and also consumers – who tell us they want more options when it comes to higher welfare chicken as well,” he added.
“We’ll always produce the full range of products, ranging from organic, free range to standard birds, but as the years go by, more and more people are asking for higher welfare birds that are still competitively priced and that’s what we’re proud to deliver.
“And we’re not stopping here. The journey will continue as we move more of our estate to higher welfare birds.”
2 Siters’ transition
2 Sisters began its gradual transition towards higher welfare birds in 2020 across an estate on 60 farms in the UK. In October 2022, the processor announced that more than 2 million birds processed each week met higher welfare standards.
Agricultural Director Nick Davies added: “This is another important step on transforming our estate and it has taken a lot of work from breeders, planners, farmers, processing sites and commercial teams for it to be delivered.
“Our customers have supported us through this journey and are now delivering ranges to their consumers that they’re asking for.”
Meanwhile, more than 70% of Brits demand animal wellness compliance from food companies and are willing to pay the price for certified products, according to new research.
