As the head of one of South Africa’s most iconic poultry producers, Rainbow Chicken chief executive Marthinus Stander says the company continues to navigate a complex operating environment with discipline, focus, and a hands-on approach.
“We’re chicken people doing chicken things,” he remarked during the recent 2025 Mzansi Young Farmers Indaba, hosted by Food For Mzansi. His remarks captured Rainbow’s pragmatic philosophy of staying grounded, fixing the fundamentals, and executing with excellence.
Stander participated in a high-level panel focused on strengthening resilience, empowering the next generation of farmers, and embedding sustainability across the agricultural value chain.
Navigating complexity with confidence
With animal feed accounting for over 70% of input costs, Stander outlined how Rainbow leverages commodity monitoring to drive agility and cost-efficiency.
The company has also implemented a series of proactive strategies to mitigate the ongoing impact of avian influenza (AI), “including culling of infected breeder birds, extending the production cycle of breeder flocks, importing fertilised eggs to ensure supply continuity, relocating the Midrand breeder facility to reduce geographical concentration risk, and tightening biosecurity protocols.”
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He explained that these decisive actions have been critical to maintaining Rainbow’s operational resilience and its ability to continue supplying high-quality chicken products to South African consumers.
Investing in the next generation
Stander also emphasised the importance of developing young agricultural talent. “It’s essential that we invest in young farmers and future leaders to ensure the long-term sustainability of our sector,” he said.
Through initiatives such as bursaries, internships, and practical training programmes, Rainbow Chicken is actively contributing to building a pipeline of skilled, passionate individuals ready to take South African agriculture into the future.
On the issue of sustainability, Stander reiterated Rainbow’s commitment to embedding responsible practices across its operations. This includes ongoing investment in renewable energy, water conservation initiatives, and waste reduction strategies, all aimed at securing the long-term viability of the agricultural value chain.
“Our approach to sustainability is not a tick-box exercise ‒ it’s fundamental to our survival and success,” he said.
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