July 4, 2009

Empire Kosher Poultry adds new production line

Empire Kosher Poultry has announced plans to significantly increase its Kosher chicken capacity in time for the High Holiday peak demand period.

Empire Kosher's addition of a new, high-speed evisceration line will more than double its capacity.

Empire's regularly scheduled non-holiday production capacity is approximately 225,000 chickens per week, with a peak holiday production capacity of approximately 350,000 chickens per week.

With the addition of the new line, Empire's regular capacity will expand to more than 500,000 chickens per week and almost 800,000 chickens per week at peak times, equaling or exceeding the combined production and Empire and its largest competitor prior to May 2008.

Greg Rosenbaum, CEO of Empire, said the intention is to ensure of adequate supplies of Kosher chicken in the market at all times, particularly during the peak holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Passover, when the new capacity is expected to prevent the shortages that have historically plagued the industry.

Empire, working with a large international supplier of poultry factory equipment, made proprietary changes to a state of the art chicken line. This proprietary design smoothly integrates Kosher slaughter and Rabbinical inspection with the highest speed equipment permitted in US poultry plants by the Department of Agriculture. Empire has the exclusive right to use the equipment in the Kosher poultry industry for at least three years.

Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. is the largest Kosher poultry producer in the US with facilities in central Pennsylvania, Empire produces Kosher chickens and Kosher turkeys for the North American market through a fully integrated process, including breeder farms, egg hatcheries, feed mill, grow out houses and processing facilities.