A PASSION FOR POULTRY AND A MISSION FOR CHANGE

Our vision

Being one of the largest and fastest-growing animal protein sectors, the poultry industry contributes substantially to feeding the growing world population with high-quality protein. The sector has championed some of the biggest innovations and efficiency gains in the livestock industry to date. It is a sector that is close to our heart, but also one where we must take responsibility for producing more sustainably and with respect for animals. 

One animal welfare issue that is on the table is chick culling. Every year, 6.5 billion male chicks are culled, of which 300 million are in the European Union, because these males cannot be used for egg production. Luckily, this practice is now on the verge of being ended in the EU, as it is no longer accepted by society. Germany and France have already banned this practice fully or partly, and more countries will follow suit. Action is also taken by the egg producers themselves. They see the benefits of no-culling practices and start to act before legislation comes into force.

The fact that chick culling is being confronted as a problematic issue is a huge poultry welfare milestone. At the same time, it creates opportunities to increase consumer acceptance and demand for animal products, add value to eggs and increase profitability for farmers. At In Ovo, we envision a world where there is no need for chick culling and where animals that are used to produce food are treated humanely. And we strongly believe that this is possible with the technology and solutions we have available today. 

And we know what we are talking about. In Ovo was founded in 2011 by Dutch entrepreneurs Wil Stutterheim and Wouter Bruins. Since then, the company has grown to be a leader in in-ovo gender determination and contributing to positive change in poultry welfare. We have been working on our gender determination technology for over 12 years, long before the ban on chick culling was on anyone's radar or embedded in legislation. Our expertise and years of research and development have led to a practical, accurate and effective solution for hatcheries to determine the gender of the egg at an early stage, so male eggs can be removed from the process. 

With our technology, we are making a significant impact at an increasing number of commercial hatcheries to reduce the practice of culling day-old male chicks. And this is just the beginning of what technology can mean for optimising poultry farming and improving animal welfare. We are working on the development of a sensor platform that enables hatcheries to optimise their hatching process and better predict outcomes and – at the same time – explore more innovative approaches that help poultry producers stay ahead of the game. 

Our vision is to redefine current poultry production systems and shape the sector to one where economics, animal welfare and sustainability can strengthen each other. With our groundbreaking scientific and technological innovations, we aim to improve the lives of 5 billion animals per year by 2030. This requires action and innovative technologies that are reliable and cost-effective. It also requires collaboration of all stakeholders involved. 

Are you with us?

Our milestones

Our team and culture

Our team consists of technicians with a passion for complicated challenges. But we are also people who have a big heart when it comes to animal welfare. For that reason, we use our skills to develop products that have a positive impact. In other words, we strive to make a valuable contribution to develop a world in which we take better care of animals and the environment.

Our culture is innovative, enthusiastic, tech-driven, conscientious, optimistic, and collaborative: we are very serious about our work but not too serious about ourselves. Do you want to use your knowledge to make a genuine difference to the planet as well?