Every morning in Bugesera District, refrigerated trucks quietly leave a modern poultry processing facility carrying tonnes of fresh chicken meat destined for supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and homes across Kigali.

Inside the facility operated by Poultry East Africa Ltd (PEAL), workers dressed in protective uniforms carefully sort, clean and package chicken products under tightly monitored hygiene conditions.

The setting is orderly and professionally managed, presenting a very different picture from the negative perceptions many consumers associate with commercial chicken production.

PEAL’s certified poultry system built on global food safety standards

For years, some Rwandans have viewed commercially raised chicken meat with suspicion, believing it is unhealthy or produced without proper safety standards. But at PEAL’s operations in Mayange Sector, the process follows internationally recognised systems designed to ensure hygiene, food safety and traceability from the farm to the consumer’s table.

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The company, which operates under the consumer brand Cooko, has grown into one of Rwanda’s leading poultry firms while helping shape the country’s modern poultry value chain. Though owned by Singaporean investor Shumei Lam, the company’s impact today stretches far beyond business, reaching hundreds of local farmers and workers in Bugesera and surrounding communities.

What makes PEAL stand out in Rwanda’s poultry sector is its certification under both Halal and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards, while also having conducted Kosher-compliant processing under the supervision of a Rabbi/Mashgiach.

Halal certification ensures chicken processing follows Islamic dietary requirements, humane handling of birds and strict hygiene procedures, making the products suitable for Muslim consumers while also reinforcing consumer confidence in cleanliness and safety standards.

HACCP, an internationally recognised food safety management system, focuses on identifying and controlling possible risks during production, processing, packaging and transportation of food products. The certification means every stage of the poultry process is monitored to minimise contamination risks and maintain product quality.

Due to the expertise of its processing plant, PEAL is capable of providing fully customised products according to clients’ desired sizes and cuts.

The firm has grown from a sizeable poultry investment into a major agribusiness enterprise.

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Behind this success lies a story of vision, community empowerment, and a carefully organised poultry production system that begins with a tiny chick and ends with quality chicken meat supplied daily to Rwandan consumers.

A vision rooted in long-term investment

PEAL’s journey in Rwanda started in 2012, at a time when the country’s poultry industry was still developing and heavily reliant on imported products.

According to the company’s General Manager, Jonathan Wong Eng Chien, the investment was inspired by Lam’s late father, who had envisioned establishing poultry farming projects in Africa before his passing.

"Rwanda was selected not only as a place to invest, but also as a country where we could build a poultry value chain that benefits communities,” Wong explained.

The company initially started with around 20 workers before gradually expanding its activities in Bugesera through hatcheries, poultry houses, breeding systems and a modern chicken processing facility.

Today, the company directly employs 130 workers and collaborates with more than 450 contract poultry farmers.

How the poultry production cycle works

At the heart of PEAL’s operations is a carefully managed production cycle aimed at maintaining consistency and quality.

The process begins with chicks raised in controlled poultry houses where workers closely monitor feeding, water systems, temperature and hygiene conditions.

Veterinarians supervise the chickens throughout their growth period, ensuring they remain healthy until maturity, usually after about 45 days. Some chickens are later selected as parent stock and transferred into breeding houses where eggs are produced and collected for incubation.

Inside the hatchery, eggs are placed in temperature- and humidity-controlled incubators until chicks hatch, restarting the production cycle. The integrated system allows the company to maintain traceability across the entire process while ensuring stable production throughout the year.

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Supporting local farmers

Beyond its own operations, PEAL has also developed a contract farming model that has transformed livelihoods for many families in Bugesera.

Residents with adequate space are supported to construct poultry houses, after which the company provides chicks, feed, technical assistance and veterinary services.

Farmers raise the chickens under PEAL supervision before the mature birds are later collected for processing.

Pascal Kwizera, a veterinary officer at the company, says the goal is not only to expand poultry production but also to transfer knowledge and create sustainable income opportunities.

"What we do is provide everything needed for them to start poultry farming and benefit from it,” Kwizera said.

The model has helped many households move from subsistence farming into commercial poultry production, enabling families to pay school fees, access healthcare and improve their living conditions.

More than just employment

For workers like Odette Marie Mukagihana, PEAL has become more than a workplace.

She joined the company years ago while searching for stable employment and says the experience transformed both her financial life and mindset.

"I started here when I was still a young girl trying to make a living,” she said.

"Today, beyond earning a salary, I have gained knowledge and confidence that allow me to think like an investor in poultry farming.”

Her story reflects the wider impact the company has had on many workers and contract farmers who have developed practical poultry skills through daily experience.

Feeding Rwanda’s growing appetite for chicken

As Rwanda’s urban population grows, demand for poultry products continues to rise. PEAL supplies no less than four tonnes of chicken meat daily to markets across the country.

Under Poultry East Africa Ltd’s Cooko brand, products are distributed through outlets across Bugesera, including Mayange, Gahembe, Ntarama, Nyamata, and Kanzenze, as well as in Kigali locations such as Kimironko, Mundi Centre, Nyamirambo, Remera, Gikondo, Kimihurura, and Gahanga, with additional expansion locations to be announced.

Expanding beyond poultry

Outside agriculture, PEAL has also invested in community activities, sponsoring teams such as Bugesera FC and the Bugesera Cycling Team.

As Rwanda’s appetite for chicken meat continues to grow alongside urbanisation and changing eating habits, PEAL hopes to strengthen local production and further reduce dependence on imported poultry products.