The poultry industry has extensive knowledge about fast‑growing breeds, but there is a significant lack of data and scientific insight on slow‑growing chickens in industrial production. A key knowledge gap concerns how the health and welfare of the parent stock influence the quality of the hatching egg; its fertility, shell strength, and size characteristics—which ultimately determines the biological potential of the chick in terms of growth, robustness, and overall health. Addressing this gap requires collaboration, and a partnership would enable the generation of new data and evidence that strengthen the entire value chain from parent stock to high‑quality chicks.
Studying traceability within a fully integrated value chain creates a unique opportunity to understand how data flows, digital tools, and coordinated operational processes can reinforce food safety, improve production efficiency, and strengthen consumer trust. By examining how information moves from parent stock to finished product, traceability becomes not just a compliance mechanism, but a strategic asset for building a more resilient and responsible poultry industry.

Norsk Kylling is located in Norway and operates a fully integrated poultry value chain that spans parent‑stock hatchery, rearing, broiler hatchery, broiler production, processing, and retail. Because the Norwegian industry is small compared to European standards, there is no domestic grandparent production; parent‑stock eggs are therefore sourced from international breeding companies such as Hubbard. The company collaborates with around 150 farms in mid‑Norway and is fully owned by REMA 1000, providing a true farm‑to‑fork perspective. Norsk Kylling has built a comprehensive data value chain, collecting data across all production stages and engaging in research consortia to better understand the value and insights these data can generate. The company also has state‑of‑the‑art infrastructure, including a new hatchery and a modern processing plant.