Together with new cooperative, Colruyt Group strengthens commitment to more animal-friendly farmed "Kip van Eigen Bodem/Poulet De Notre Terroir"

Colruyt Lowest Prices and Okay launched about four years ago the commitment to a more sustainable range of chicken meat where the animals have better welfare according to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) criteria. By putting the name "Kip van Eigen Bodem/Poulet De Notre Terroir on the packaging of this range from now on, Colruyt Group wants to emphasise to customers that it is about a local product that is the result of cooperation within a Belgian chain. As icing on the 'cake from our own soil', some 15 Belgian chicken breeders united in a cooperative, with the aim of jointly breeding these chickens with better welfare. This strengthens Colruyt Group's position as one of the driving forces within the Belgian BCC story, which is fully committed to making this range more sustainable.

"Kip van Eigen Bodem"/"Poulet de notre Terroir" on packaging: highlighting local character

Colruyt Group wants to continue to go for better animal welfare for the standard meat chickens on the shelves of Colruyt and Okay and at Spar Colruyt Group. For this sophisticated and extended high-quality range of chicken meat, the chickens were bred in better living conditions according to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC). Within this higher and stricter criteria for animal welfare, the animals live longer and in better living conditions (more space, natural daylight and so on)*.

In addition, Colruyt Group went one step further by opting for a technique where the chicks are born directly in the sheds. The method has two advantages: the chicks no longer need to be transported alive, which significantly reduces stress. Immediate access to water and food also promotes intestinal health. The combination of these new standards yielded exceptionally positive results in terms of animal health.

Today, 30% of the standard chicken range at Colruyt, Okay and Spar Colruyt Group meets these strict criteria, and the range continues to do well with customers. To further emphasise the local character and make the range extra recognisable to customers, the packaging will be given a new name: "Kip van Eigen Bodem"/”Poulet de notre Terroir”. After years of pioneering work, including helping to set up the chain, the retailer is further adhering to the goal of having all classic standard chickens sold in Colruyt's butcher's shops, as well as the frozen chickens of the house brand Boni, eventually meet the strict criteria of the Better Chicken Commitment.

Gunther Uyttenhove, Director Colruyt Group Fine Food and responsible for Colruyt Group's agricultural policy, added: "We are the trigger in the market for this chicken with higher animal welfare. We confirm our conviction by continuing our leading position and now give the concept even more substance with this more pronounced local accent. The establishment of the cooperative of Belgian chicken breeders working together according to the BCC criteria confirms the path we have taken and is a hopeful sign for the sector. However, we note that the evolution is not as fast as we expected, and we continue to monitor the trends that will determine the further roll-out into the future"

Important signal: cooperative of chicken farmers aiming for better animal welfare

Believing in the concept and within the long-term cooperation and commitments they have with Colruyt Group, some 15 breeders recently united in a cooperative to work together for the long term. They engaged in extensive discussions and will enthusiastically work together on those better living conditions for their chickens. President of the cooperative, Delphine Tasiaux, says: "I am really proud to be president of this unique Belgian cooperative. Joining together in a cooperative gives us as producers the opportunity to work together around a common project. We can also share our knowledge, help each other and react faster. Today, 100% of the cooperative's volume is produced for Colruyt Group and it is very nice to be able to count on them as a partner as a cooperative."

An important asset for a grower to be part of a cooperative is gaining more access to the market. Through a cooperative, a group of producers can make a relevant offer to the market and also make arrangements with interested buyers. The new cooperative is also looking forward to growing further to around 20 growers in order to be recognised.

* The European Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) has higher and stricter criteria for animal welfare than standard chickens. The chickens, of a slower-growing breed, live longer than their standard counterparts. Their living conditions are improved: each chicken gets 40% more space due to a lower number of hens per square metre. They also enjoy natural daylight and their natural behaviour is supported thanks to features such as perches and pecking substrates.