About us

The fodder plant is the first unit of the closed production cycle of Gradus and the largest fodder producer in Bulgaria. Its purpose is to provide a large proportion of the fodder mixtures needed for the next stages of the cycle. The annual capacity of the plant amounts to over 60,000 tons of fodder (the daily capacity is 300 tons of fodder). It employs over 60 employees. It has a modern technology for fodder deworming and precise grading. In 2017, 75 000 tons grain of own production were consumed in the different units of the poultry meat production cycle.

The rearing and fattening cycle of one parental flock takes between 60 and 65 weeks, and during the productive period from the 23rd to the 56th week the flock turnover reaches over 9000000 breeding eggs per month. Farms have a computer-controlled system for complete microclimate control - ventilation, cooling and natural gas heating. They incorporate a modern conveyor system for egg removal and automatic nests. In 2017, 86 141 440 breeding eggs were sold by Gradus group.

Gradus one-day-old chickens are by 2 grams heavier and 5 millimeters longer than the chickens hatched in other facilities thanks to the embryo temperature control technology. Hatcheries provide greater potential for the end product, which is highly valued by consumers in the industry. Their annual capacity is 50 million one-day-old chickens.

With a total of over 180 halls and 165,000 square meters of total built-up area, farms for fattening of flocks produce about 25 million broilers each year. For a period of nearly 40 days, broilers gain weight five times and have quality which is guaranteed by the microclimate monitoring computer system.

Gradus Slaughterhouse is located in Stara Zagora and has an annual capacity of ready-made products - chicken meat, cuts, sausages, semi-finished products and delicacies - 30 000 tons. The slaughterhouse is certified according to IFS 6:2014, ISO 22000:2005, ISO 9001:2015. The largest in the Balkans and one of the largest in Europe, the slaughterhouse relies on automated processes that reduce to a minimum the impact of the human factor. Chicken boning process is also fully automated, and in this respect Gradus slaughterhouse is the only one in Bulgaria. The system ensures that poor quality chickens will be redirected for processing, and as whole chickens will be offered only good quality products.

Gradus has a large fleet of cars that allows fast and safe transportation of chickens and ready-to-go products to the commercial network. Among the means of transport we have are 4 specialized trucks for the transport of one-day-old chickens and 5 trucks for transportation of adult chickens. Of course, there are different trucks for transportation of chilled and frozen goods and they are 11. There are two trucks for transportation of grain and 8 for the transportation of fodder. The means for transporting liquid cargo are 3 and those with general purpose are 6. The logistics system of Gradus is well developed and provides coverage throughout the country, distributed by transport channels from Stara Zagora and connecting it to Sofia, Varna, Burgas, Plovdiv-Dimitrovgrad-Haskovo-Kardzhali-Smolyan, Pleven-Rousse-Veliko Turnovo, Pernik-Kyustendil-Blagoevgrad, Vratsa-Montana-Vidin. Gradus' distribution channels are modeled according to market needs and the company's trucks are running throughout the week. In this way, Gradus provides its customers with always fresh products - our naturally delicious chicken.