National Chicks has undergone rapid growth since its modest start as Gambier Poultry back in 1976 - producing 15 000 chicks a week with a workforce of 10.

The first major milestone after the launch of the company in 1976 was the decision in 1983 to build a hatchery in Gauteng. Supplied with hatching eggs from KwaZulu-Natal, the hatchery was designed to produce 480 000 day-old chicks a week. A year later, 24 controlled environment breeder houses were built close to the hatchery to supplement the Natal hatching eggs. Today, this hatchery supplies in the region of half a million chicks a week to the booming Gauteng markets.

In 1996, the company was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Expansion since then has seen the emergence of a hatchery in the neighbouring country of Swaziland. In April 2002, Astral Foods Limited acquired 100% of National Chick Limited. It was subsequently delisted on 6 May 2002.

In addition to their supply of day-old chicks and fertile hatching eggs to the independent broiler market, National Chicks is now a key cog in the supply chain to the Astral Group of companies, which also includes County Fair and Early Bird.

More about the Astral Group

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