Surviving the Early Years

In the harsh years that followed, Cagle's dedication to personal customer service remained. But it was clear that more would be needed to withstand the competition and unexpected market changes. The answer was in vertical integration. The company needed to control its supply, and its expenses. The company's first acquisition was Strain Farms, a grow-out operation that grew chicks into broilers. In 1965, Cagle's built its own feed mill. Later it built a hatchery as well. The company also made exploratory expansions into related businesses, such as Talmadge Farms- a producer of hams, chicken hot dogs and chicken bologna. But as their experience grew, they focused their efforts on their primary product- chicken itself. Today, Cagle's is fully integrated. We run our own feed mill. We have our own breeder hens, laying eggs on farms run by exclusive farmer-contractors. We have our own hatchery. And the chicks are "grown out" on farms managed by still other farmer-contractors.