NEWS
Bird Bros announces transition to barn eggs with multi-million pound cage-free strategy
Bird Bros has announced it will phase out colony cage egg production by 2028 as part of a new multi-million-pound strategy.
The British Lion accredited egg producer will phase out colony cage egg production at its Sunny Farm headquarters in Bedfordshire over the next five years in line with its Vision 2028 plan.
The move marks a major strategic shift for the family-owned business, which has been producing eggs at its Sunny Farm headquarters in Bedfordshire since 1969. Currently, the business supplies over four million eggs a week to retailers, wholesalers, and food service businesses across the UK.
Bird Bros is implementing the cage-free programme to strengthen its range of higher welfare products for its customers. The move represents a significant investment as the company moves to barn egg production, with the first Bird Bros barn eggs set to hit the market towards the end of 2024.
Bird Bros will continue to supply substantial free range egg production from both its company owned and contracted producer arrangements.
Stuart Bird, Production Director at Bird Bros, said: “There is an increasing number of barn systems operating successfully across the UK and we can see the benefits this model provides. The UK egg market is evolving rapidly, and we know that as we look to the future, barn eggs will have a significant role to play. We want to be among those leading the charge in moving away from colony cage egg production.”
Barn eggs are laid by hens that are housed in large & open, climate-controlled sheds without cages. The hens can roam freely within the shed, socialising, and perching, without the threat of outdoor predators or exposure to the elements.
The model is common across Europe, especially in locations where outdoor conditions and temperatures may be detrimental to hen welfare. Stocking densities are improved significantly compared with enriched-colony production methods and mirror the levels that free-range birds experience when enclosed at night.
Matthew Bird, Commercial Director at Bird Bros, said: “Our Vision 2028 strategy plots a bold new direction for the business which we are all really enthused by. Having been a significant player in the egg production industry for more than 55 years, we understand how important it is to remain agile and forward thinking to thrive as a successful business.
“While many of the major grocers will be ending sales of enriched colony eggs by the end of 2025, our decision to invest significantly in barn egg production has been driven by our desire to improve hen welfare and meet the evolving requirements of our broad customer base.
“There will be a market for value-focussed eggs with strong animal welfare credentials, as well as the free-range produced eggs we provide. With our customer base encompassing many different channels, we see a huge opportunity for barn eggs, and it is the key driver behind our decision to move decisively into barn egg production.”
You can learn more about Bird Bros’ Vision 2028 strategy here.
Bird Bros achieves AA+ grade in Sunny Farm BRC audit
Bird Bros has achieved AA+ grade in an unannounced British Retail Consortium (BRC) audit of its packing centre at its Sunny Farm site.
AA+ is the highest possible score under the BRC audit scheme, which serves as the official assessment of a food manufacturer’s adherence to its Global Standard for Food Safety.
Under their audit scheme, an accredited auditor visits a site to review operations and assign a grade between D to AA based on food safety & hygiene, staff training, traceability, and site specification. The + symbol is assigned to the allocated grade if this is undertaken as an unannounced audit, as opposed to a pre-planned inspection.
Matthew Bird, commercial director at Bird Bros, said: “It’s excellent to see our team has done us proud and achieved the highest grading possible in the recent BRC audit of our packing centre at Sunny Farm.
“In all aspects of our business we want to hold ourselves to high standards and maintain a culture of excellence across our site operations, so this is a really pleasing result.”
You can find out more about operations at Bird Bros’s packing centre and the ways in which the business ensures its production and packaging processes are sustainable here.
Bird Bros announces £250,000 investment
Bird Bros has completed a quarter of a million-pound investment programme.
This funding was committed to extensive improvements across infrastructure, recruitment and staff upskilling, and puts the business on a strong footing as it set its sights on ambitious growth plans. This will form part of a wider programme of investment for 2024 and beyond.
The company has also announced a new senior team appointment as Robin Hele joins the business.
As a previous director of Bird Bros, Robin returns to the company bringing four decades of experience across egg production and agriculture.
Matthew Bird, commercial director at Bird Bros, said: “This is an exciting time for Bird Bros as we mark the completion of an intensive package of measures centred around farming operations, animal welfare, and our dedicated staff.
‘We are thrilled to welcome Robin Hele back – he has a wealth of expertise and will oversee all farming operations and a key time of change for the business.
‘We have some major developments, and more investment plans, in the pipeline and Robin will be key in driving these forward throughout 2024 and beyond.”
Robin said: “It’s exciting to be rejoining the business at such a crucial time and I’m thrilled to be leading the charge across farm operations.”
You can find out more about the business and the steps it takes to ensure the welfare of its hens and the quality of its produce here: https://birdbroseggs.co.uk/our-hens-welfare/
Bird Bros donate 2,000 packs of eggs this Christmas.
At this time of year, it is important that we play our part, and Bird Bros is delighted to provide 2,000 individual boxes of eggs to support the superb effort made by the Bedford Food Bank.
People in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy, to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. Bedford Foodbank’s volunteers work with referral partners to provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in our community.
“The Bedford food bank is very local to where our business has been operational for over 50 years. We feel privileged & proud to be able to donate this Christmas to the residents of Bedford. Eggs are packed full of vitamins and minerals and are a convenient fast food for all the family.”
Matthew Bird, Commercial Director, Bird Bros
