Chicken is not only the most consumed protein in this country (Farm Facts, 2017) and a preferred choice by New Zealanders for the dinner table (Colmar Brunton), but it also offers a high degree of product quality and traceability.
Every care is taken of the birds from the farm right through to the consumer’s table. Birds are traceable back to their point of origin and each part of their journey – from day-old chick to harvest, from truck to processing and then to the supermarket shelf – is governed by the strict requirements of the Animal Welfare (Meat Chickens) Code of Welfare 2012.
All meat-chicken-growing companies that are members of PIANZ also follow the standards of the Biosecurity Manual for New Zealand Meat Chicken Growers relating to food safety, suitability requirements and consumer needs.
In addition, the production systems of PIANZ meat chicken companies are independently audited by leading New Zealand providers of food safety, biosecurity and welfare measurement services:
Tegel Foods Ltd is audited by AsureQuality Ltd
Turks Poultry is audited by AsureQuality Ltd
Inghams Chicken free-range operations are audited by Qconz to SPCA Blue-Tick standard
Brinks Chicken free-range operations are audited by Qconz to SPCA Blue-Tick standard.
The result of this comprehensive and careful attention to high standards is chicken whose quality is recognised by consumers in New Zealand and abroad.