The Cooperative’s modern privately-owned production facilities include parent stock farms, hatcheries, a feed mill, a slaughterhouse, a cutting section for anatomical cuts, processing and packaging facilities, a refrigeration and freezing complex, a by-products processing plant, a vehicle maintenance workshop, and a biological treatment unit.
With the aim of further expanding its activities and benefiting customers, consumers, shareholders, and employees, in 2008, the Cooperative successfully completed an ambitious development and investment program worth €17,000,000. This program created new state-of-the-art conditions and processes for chicken product production in Greece and Europe, ensuring higher standards, methods, practices, and operations at every stage of production and development.
The completion of this development program enabled the Cooperative to expand and modernize its slaughterhouse, refrigeration, and freezing facilities, as well as to implement an ultra-modern three-stage air-chilling system.
At the same time, this investment provided the necessary conditions for environmental protection through the construction of an inert waste incineration unit for energy production.
hatcheries
The incubators in our hatchery are used to incubate fertilized eggs under ideal temperature and humidity conditions to initiate and complete embryo development.
The eggs are delivered to our hatchery from the parent stock farms, transported in specialized refrigerated trucks under controlled conditions (17-18°C). The hatchery has an annual hatching capacity of 12,000,000 chicks. The incubation period for eggs is 21 days, and the ideal conditions required inside the incubators are 37.5°C temperature, 55% humidity, and proper ventilation according to the days of incubation.
37.5°C temperature, 55% humidity, and proper ventilation according to the days of incubation.
After 18 days of incubation, the eggs are transferred from the setting machines (setter) to the hatching machines (hatcher), where they remain for three more days. During transfer, a candling inspection is performed to remove any eggs that have not formed embryos.
Throughout the incubation process, strict temperature, humidity, and ventilation controls are maintained, based on a specialized program that adjusts according to the incubation stage.
Daily disinfection is carried out inside and outside the incubators, as well as throughout the hatchery facility, to ensure the absence of pathogenic microorganisms.
On the first day of life, the chicks undergo sorting and quality control. The highest quality chicks are vaccinated by injection and spray against the most common diseases before being transported to the poultry farms of our partner producers in specialized trucks at the required temperature (28-30°C).
poultry farming units
When the Cooperative started in 1966, it had only 7 poultry farmer members. Through vision and dedication, this number has grown to 114 partner poultry farmers today.
With the ever-increasing demand for our products, the need arose to establish modernized poultry farming units, fully technologically advanced and compliant with EU regulations, spread across the entire region of Arta.
Our annual production reaches 12,000,000 chickens, a number that is steadily increasing to meet customer demands at any time.
The farming process lasts 45 days, during which temperature and ventilation are electronically controlled to ensure ideal living conditions for the poultry. After a final veterinary inspection, permission for slaughter is granted by the state veterinarians.
slaughterubg process
Our slaughterhouse is a state-of-the-art facility with a slaughtering capacity of 6,000 birds per hour.
Always respecting quality assurance and consumer protection regulations, the birds are transported from the poultry farms to the slaughterhouse along with all necessary documentation confirming their suitability for slaughter. They are inspected by the reception officer and the official state veterinarian before being processed in the fully automated slaughter system.
All processes—including stunning, slaughter, bleeding, defeathering, evisceration, organ separation, and washing—are performed by specialized machines. Along the production line, trained personnel oversee and ensure the correct execution of the procedure.
The chickens are then classified based on their weight, and an initial sorting process takes place using specialized software that photographs each bird. If a chicken is deemed unsuitable for sale, it is automatically removed.
By using an advanced software system, the facility’s central computer determines the optimal use of each chicken, allowing the production of high-quality, traceable products.
The process is completed with rapid chilling, reducing carcass temperature to below 4°C, ensuring hygiene and product longevity.
We use air-chilling technology, which extends the shelf life of our chicken products and maintains their freshness and quality.
After cooling, the products are transferred to the processing and packaging facilities for further production.
We use air-chilling technology, which extends the shelf life of our chicken products and maintains their freshness and quality.
After cooling, the products are transferred to the processing and packaging facilities for further production.
processing –
packaging
The first stage in the production process after cooling is whole chicken packaging, where a portion of the birds is packed in group packaging.
Those that are not used in this stage move on to cutting, processing, and final packaging. This sorting process is carried out automatically.
All processing areas comply with Greek and European legislation and follow good hygiene practices to ensure food safety.
The room temperature does not exceed 10°C. Throughout processing, the chicken remains below 4°C to ensure the cold chain remains intact. Employees receive regular hygiene and food safety training.
packaging
The Cooperative has chosen its characteristic black tray packaging, inspired by its environmental friendliness and commitment to sustainability.
Each label contains essential consumer information (Expiry date, Certifications, Traceability codes, Price per kilogram & weight). Once packaged, the products undergo final inspection and are transferred to cold storage, awaiting distribution.
distribution
The distribution of Arta chickens is done through our privately-owned fleet of refrigerated trucks, ensuring direct delivery to customers. We maintain daily contact and communication with our customers to ensure we fully understand their preferences and requirements.
Our distribution network is strategically positioned to serve the entire country, including
Athens Branch (for the Attica region), Larissa Branch (for Thessaly), Thessaloniki Branch (for Northern Greece), Arta Headquarters (for Western Greece). This ensures fast and efficient delivery throughout Greece.
