News

Poultry co Gradus to invest in factory for self-basting chicken products

Gradus, the local poultry products company, said it making good headway on a 15 mln euro project for a new factory for chicken products.

The new unit will produce self-basting, marinated, breaded and seasoned chicken products earmarked mainly for export to the rest of Europe and beyond.

Gradus is eyeing a niche market unaddressed by the other Bulgarian chicken meat producers which currently ship only hard-chilled or frozen products to the EU.

In 2006, Gradus opened in Stara Zagora the biggest poultry slaughterhouse on the Balkans, sinking 28 mln levs in the project.

In 2007, Bulgarian chicken and duck exports are expected to jump 25% over the 9,000 tons shipped in 2006. Over 60% will end up in other EU member states.

Duck products made up the bulk of poultry exports 5-6 years ago but now the share of chicken breasts and strips is on the rise, said Gradus owner Ivan Angelov.

Bulgarian chicken strips are hot-sellers in Germany, France, Britain and Romania while chicken wings are in strong demand in France, said local poultry producers.(Dnevnik)