Vital Farms considers expansion into broiler industry

Vital Farms functions as a pasture-raised egg producer, but the company could disrupt the broiler and dairy industries in the future.

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(Vital Farms)
(Vital Farms)

Vital Farms functions as a pasture-raised egg producer, but the company could disrupt the broiler and dairy industries in the future.

During the Cowen Future of the Consumer: Sustainable Growth for the New Ecosystem Conference, Russell Diez-Canseco, president and CEO, Vital Farms, called both areas ripe for disruption.

“It’s hard to find a sector we think we couldn’t improve,” he explained. 

“What we’re most focused on right now is what’s going on in the poultry space and what’s going on in the dairy space. There are so many things in both of those industries that we feel could be made better for stakeholders.”

Citing a 2021 report from the Humane League, Diez-Canseco claimed that white striping is found in 99% of chicken sold in supermarkets.

“What if we could create a better tasting, better eating chicken that creates better outcomes for farmers, has a better quality of life for the chicken and produces a superior margin and a superior return? That’s what we do with eggs,” he speculated, noting that there were no concrete plans to do so yet.

Started on a single farm in Austin, Texas, in 2007, Vital Farms is now a national consumer brand that works with over 200 small family farms and is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs and butter by retail dollar sales, according to the company website.

Partnerships with small family farms are crucial to the company’s success, but higher standards for animal welfare and transparency about the supply chain help drive consumer interest.

“What we’ve really benefited from is the fact that there are more and more consumer in this country that want to align their values with the brands they buy and enjoy,” Diez-Canseco added.

“When you buy our eggs, you buy a lot more than the egg. You’re really actually buying a brand that you can trust. You’re buying a sense of alignment for your values. You’re buying a source of confidence in what you’re feeding your family.”

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