Astral Foods CEO Chris Schutte will temporarily step aside from his duties because of medical reasons, the company reported.
Schutte will undergo cardiovascular surgery on August 19. Due to the high-risk nature of the procedure, and the lengthy recovery period needed after the surgery is completed, Schutte will take a leave of office to recuperate as prescribed by his physicians.
“Astral’s board extends its best wishes to Chris Schutte and his family during this challenging time, and requests that all communication in this regard be addressed via the Astral corporate office,” the company said in a press release.
The South African poultry and animal feed company stated that it has a competent management team in place to deal with all relevant operational matters, and Daan Ferreira, chief financial officer of Astral Foods, will be the “central contact person” during Schutte’s absence.
Schutte has been the CEO of Astral Foods since May 1, 2010, when his predecessor, Nick Wentzel, resigned. Schutte joined Astral Foods in 2002, and served as managing director of the company’s animal nutrition division from July 2004 until he took over as CEO.
Schutte, 56, started his career in 1984 as an assistant farm manager with Golden Lay Farms, a division of Tiger Brands.
Astral Foods, headquartered in Doringkloof, South Africa, is the second largest poultry company in Africa. According to Poultry International Top Companies listings, Astral Foods slaughters 228.3 million broilers annually. Astral Foods ranks 40th among the world’s largest poultry companies.
Astral Foods, also the largest producer of broiler chicks in South Africa, subsidiaries include National Chicks, County Fair, Ross Poultry, Tiger Chicks, Tiger Animal Feeds and Provimi.
The company is also a major animal feed producer in Africa, with an annual output of nearly 1.4 million metric tons of feed.
RCL Foods, also headquartered in South Africa, tops the list of African poultry companies, slaughtering 260 million broilers annually. It also ranks just above Astral Foods on the WATTAgNet Top Feed Companies listings.
