Colruyt Group's 'home-grown chicken': better well-being for broiler chickens
Better living conditions for broiler chickens: That is the ambition of Okay, Colruyt Lowest Prices and Spar. In collaboration with some 15 Belgian chicken breeders, they are ensuring a more animal-friendly rearing 'standard' broiler chicken: the 'home-grown chicken’. For these chickens, they are gradually introducing stricter welfare criteria and the application of the barn-hatching principle (NestBorn and One2Born method). The first 'home-grown chickens' have been available in stores since mid-2022.
Stricter well-being criteria
Of course, the poultry breeders we work with always respect legislation. Still, in 2021 Colruyt Lowest Prices and Okay were the first Belgian retailers to take the initiative to work with our suppliers on stricter welfare criteria for chickens, based on the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC).
Colruyt Lowest Prices, Spar and Okay are gradually rolling out the stricter criteria to allow their breeders and suppliers to change their production method step by step. Extra bales of straw in the stables are easy to provide. But other elements require an investment and/or some time, such as structural adjustments to the building to provide daylight.
Through our direct partnership with about 15 local chicken breeders, we provide a more animal-friendly grown 'standard' broiler chicken. Together we make a difference and inspire the sector!
The first chicken products meeting the various criteria based on the Better Chicken Commitment have been in the stores since 2022: a slower-growing breed, 40 % more space per chicken, sufficient perches, floor substrates such as straw bales, windows installed to provide daylight, etc.
The initiative focuses specifically on the 'standard' broiler chicken. Customers will also find free-range, farm-raised and organic chickens in our stores. Those categories are usually subject to even more stricter welfare criteria. The aim of 'home-grown chickens' is to significantly improve the welfare of 'standard' broiler chickens.
Hatching chicks in the stable: a first in Belgium
After successful pilot projects in 2020 and 2021, we have decided to also include the NestBorn- and the similar One2Born- method in the specifications for the 'home-grown chickens' of the Colruyt, Spar and Okay butcher's department. A first in Belgium! The aim is to encourage even more breeders for the approach whereby chicks are born where they grow up. This has some major advantages:
- The chicks are spared the transport from the hatchery to the stable, and the associated transport activities. This translates into less stress.
- They can immediately start eating and drinking according to their natural rhythm, which has a positive effect on their intestinal health.
- This improves their general health considerably, which leads to less mortality.
Collaboration with about 15 Belgian chicken breeders (2024)
For more than 90% of the home-grown chickens of Colruyt butcher's departments, Colruyt Lowest Prices has been collaborating directly with about 15 Belgian chicken breeders, a hatchery, a feed mill, and a slaughterhouse, since October 2022. Those breeders grow the 'home-grown chicken' exclusively for Colruyt Group and respect the stricter welfare criteria as described above. And unique in Belgium: they systematically apply the NestBorn method, meaning the chicks are born in the stable. This is how we work together structurally and in the long term to improve chicken welfare.
Growers are very positive about the transparent pricing model. “They are paid according to the market price and receive additional compensation for the additional cost," says Jessica Amendolara, head of the Farming service.
We are working with our animals every day and therefore find it important that they have a better life.
Independent monitoring of animal welfare
Based on the new specifications for our welfare chickens, Colruyt Group will have its partners audited by an external, independent organisation. Based on this, we can evaluate the approach for more animal welfare and health. Our objective is to enter into dialogue with all our partners in the chain and jointly assess progress.