Suguna Foods

Suguna Foods Private Limited is a billion-dollar Indian multinational food products company headquartered in Coimbatore, India. The company was started in 1984 and is involved in broiler farming, hatcheries, feed mills, processing plants, and vaccines manufacturing for poultry. It markets and exports broiler chicken, frozen chicken, chicken eggs, and is the largest poultry company in India.

History

Founders

Mr. B. Soundararajan and Mr. G. B. Sundararajan were the founders of Suguna Foods. They hail from a village near Udumalpet. Their parents were school teachers. They entered agriculture after successful completion of school. They were Agriculturalists when they started cattle and poultry farms simultaneously.

1984–90

In 1984 they started a small poultry farm with a small investment of Rs 5000. In 1986 they started a poultry-related trading firm. In 1990 the situations around them demanded them to pioneer the concept of contract farming for the first time in India.

Contract farming

In this contract farming concept, the company provides chicks, feed, healthcare, and Technical support. The farmer's responsibility is to have a poultry shed and manage it effectively. So farmers are able to get secured regular income from Suguna.

1990s

From 1990 to 1997, the company grew gradually. In 1997, the company got its first sizable turnover of 7 crores. Expanded their business all over Tamil Nadu and started professionalizing the company. At the end of 90's, they got turnover of 100 crores.

2000

In 2000, the founders moved into the neighboring states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. They found an ally in several state governments due to their objective to Energize Rural India. They overcame the opposition of the middlemen with the help of farmers and the respective state governments.

2000 – present

Suguna ranks among the top ten poultry companies worldwide. With operations in 16 states across India, it offers a range of poultry products and services. The fully integrated operations cover broiler and layer farming, hatcheries, feed mills, processing plants, vaccines, and exports. Suguna markets live broiler chicken, value-added eggs, and frozen chicken.

Suguna has set up a chain of retail outlets.

In 2020, Suguna Foods has funded a $15 million contract with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to maintain poultry agricultural production.

References