EDINBURGH, Scotland. – From 02–07 September, the Aviagen® Türkiye, Middle East & Africa (TMEA) team successfully hosted their inaugural Aviagen Association meeting in Bremen, Germany, bringing together all branded distributors for Arbor Acres®, Indian River®, and Ross®.
The meeting featured dedicated sessions for each brand, as well as a combined 1.5-day session covering all brands together. Aviagen executives, including Jan Henriksen, CEO; Tom Exley, President, TMEA; Michael Garden, Senior Business Manager, TMEA, Bulent Tanyildizi, Business Manager, MENA; and Robert Roszkopf, Business Manager, SSA, joined the group alongside Aviagen TMEA team members, genetics, veterinary experts, specialists, and EW Group owners.
Key strategic discussions centered on vital issues for the region’s poultry industry, such as food security, supply chain resilience, and boosting local production through regional investments. These efforts aim to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality Parent Stock (PS) to our customers, whether through distributors or directly from Aviagen.
Highlights of the meeting included a visit to the EW Group Headquarters, where one day of sessions was held. Participants had the opportunity to meet and engage with EW Group owners and employees, while the company shared its vision for investing in more sustainable poultry production. The agenda also featured presentations from leading industry experts:
- Robin Horrex, Founder & Managing Director, and Roshan Kapoor, Creative Director of Marketing Branding Creative, who shared insights on the Power of Branding.
- Claire Lewis, CEO & Founder of Pondus, who presented on The AI Revolution: Redefining Possibility in Poultry, highlighting innovative approaches to automated measurement and monitoring of poultry behaviour, growth, and welfare.
The successful first joint meeting marked a key milestone for Aviagen TMEA, encouraging collaboration, knowledge sharing, and forward-looking strategies to drive growth and innovation across the region’s poultry industry.
“Aviagen once again hosted a highly constructive meeting, uniting their valued distributors and customers from across the TMEA region. The expertise shared by Aviagen’s geneticists, specialists, and marketing teams highlighted the strength of their breeds and their outstanding genetic potential. The South African poultry industry remains deeply appreciative of Aviagen’s role in providing world-class breeds that contribute directly to national food security. A particular privilege of the meeting was the opportunity to meet the Wesjohann family, owners of Aviagen, whose warm hospitality we sincerely thank them for. Their continued commitment to reinvesting in research and development gives us confidence that the Ross breed will remain well supported into the future, enhancing poultry production efficiency and strengthening our best-cost strategy. Congratulations to the entire Aviagen TMEA team for delivering an excellent even,” commented Gary Arnold, Chief Executive Officer, Astral Foods.
Khaled Mostafa, General Manager GP Sector, Cairo Poultry Company added, “The TMEA Association meeting provided an excellent opportunity to engage with the Aviagen team, EW Group and distributors from across the region, exchanging insights and experiences from our respective markets. As the official distributor of Arbor Acres in Egypt, we take great pride in our close collaboration with Aviagen and our shared commitment to driving excellence in poultry production. We are grateful to have been part of this important milestone and look forward to building on this strong foundation as we work together toward a successful future.”
“The Association meeting was a truly significant and well-planned event that addressed key topics vital to our shared work and goals. It provided an invaluable platform for open discussion, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among all participants. As the Indian River distributor in Jordan, the opportunity to meet face-to-face with distributors and share experiences was especially meaningful, strengthening our collaboration and collective understanding. This gathering also reflected the dedication of the Aviagen team to advancing food security and supporting the poultry industry through innovation and expertise,” added Mohammed Mirza Jasim, General Manager, Acolid.
Tom Exley, President, Aviagen TMEA, concluded, “This was our first Aviagen TMEA Association meeting where we brought all branded distributors and customers across the region together. The meeting was an excellent opportunity to connect, share knowledge, and celebrate the progress of our industry. These gatherings are invaluable for encouraging collaboration, exchanging insights, and strengthening the relationships that drive innovation and excellence. Seeing our distributors and customers come together to engage, learn, and discuss best practices reaffirms the impact of these meetings – not just for Aviagen, but for the entire poultry community.”