MANILA, Philippines - Bounty Fresh Food Inc. is aiming to grow its market for premium chicken, which at present only contributes a mere one percent to its overall sales.
For 2011, Bounty Fresh is targeting total sales of P10 billion.
According to Patricia Andrea Cheng, marketing group manager of Bounty Fresh for its premium chicken “Pollo Primero”, the chicken are “healthier and tastier” because they are “free range” – meaning they can forage for their food.
According to Bounty Fresh veterinarian Dr. Eldani Fernando, their free range chicken has higher Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin A.
The chicken, he explained, have less fat with healthier poly-unsaturated fatty acids compared to commercial chickens.
Although the hybrid colored chickens, which are bred from the original Gallus Domesticus, are allowed to range freely in an enclosed ranging area, Cheng admitted that the birds’ diet is still supplemented with feeds.
The chicken, Cheng explained, are allowed to grow for 56 days compared to the commercial chicken which are basically “caged” grown for around 26 days and rely solely on feeds.
It’s production of free range chicken is still at a minimal 20,000 heads per week.
At present, Cheng admitted, Bounty Fresh free range chicken are only available in supermarkets in Metro Manila and Central Luzon.
They sell at a slight premium of P140 per kilo as opposed to Bounty Fresh’s regular dressed chicken which sells lower at P126/k.
However, she said, Bounty Fresh also produces 9,000 heads a week of day-old hybrid colored chicks which they sell primarily to backyard chicken growers.