‘We were standing in shit’: Lessons from the chicken industry for salmon farmers.
At the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) on Wednesday, Hilde Talseth, CEO of chicken producer Norsk Kylling, delivered a candid account of the company’s journey from reputation crisis to industry leader in animal welfare and sustainability.
“We were standing in shit,” Talseth said bluntly, recalling the company’s low point a decade ago.
Once plagued by environmental scandals and poor animal welfare standards, the chicken producer faced severe backlash, including police reports over emissions and mockery from locals.
“The fishermen next to our factory said it was easier to catch chicken than to fish salmon,” she noted.
Radical Change Through Transparency and Trust
Determined to turn the business around, Norsk Kylling set a bold vision: to become Norway’s best food producer. However, even their own owners dismissed the idea as unrealistic.
“We needed to think big, make major changes, and work differently. We had to collaborate and make all our employees proud.”
Talseth identified trust with farmers as the first and most critical issue to address. The company pledged full transparency, even inviting animal welfare organizations into their farmhouses—an idea initially met with resistance.
“They said no way, and we said, ‘What are you afraid of?’”
Switching to a Slower-Growing Breed
One of the most transformative decisions was shifting to a slower-growing breed of chicken. Within just 15 months, Norsk Kylling had overhauled its entire value chain. The change immediately improved both animal welfare and farmer economics:
- 30% reduction in daily mortality
- 60% reduction in sickness rates
- More robust birds, leading to easier transportation
- Despite requiring 4% more feed, the overall environmental footprint was reduced due to better survival rates and fewer health issues.
A Sustainable Future
Under Talseth’s leadership, Norsk Kylling became the first producer in the world to implement the ECC animal welfare standard across its entire value chain. The company’s transformation serves as a model for how radical transparency, collaboration, and long-term thinking can turn a struggling business into a consumer favorite.
