Rainbow, South Africa’s second largest chicken producer, has delivered a strong set of results while noting the serious challenges faced by the country’s poultry industry.
The year to end June 2025 is Rainbow’s first full year as standalone operation since it was unbundled from RCL Foods. It reported increased revenues and profits, with headline earnings up 224% to R585 million.
The results confirm the company’s recovery from the disastrous 2023 when bird flu and electricity shortages hammered the country’s poultry industry.
A Rainbow press release reflected CEO Marthinus Stander’s satisfaction with what had been achieved, and a confident outlook.
“Our strategy is delivering as intended, with clear progress across our core operations,” Stander said. “You can expect more of the same from Rainbow.”
However, Rainbow noted that poultry producers were confronted by multiple issues outside their control.
“The poultry industry faces a range of global and local challenges, including fluctuating commodity prices, volatile exchange rates, inflationary pressure, deteriorating infrastructure and utilities, unpredictable outbreaks of Avian Influenza and shifting consumer demand.”
It also had to contend with “uncertainty in trade policy and tariff enforcement and inconsistent application of trade protections,” it said.
