On this episode of From the Ground Up, host John Boitnott sat down with Ruud Zanders, poultry farmer and founder of Kipster, a company looking to change the entire egg production ecosystem. Why? Because in the US alone, more than 350 million roosters are gassed or shattered each year immediately after they leave the egg.
Zanders comes from a lineage of farmers, and while he continues his family’s legacy, he is looking to change the way things are done, reimagining what it means to produce eggs in an environmentally conscious world. That is precisely why he founded Kipster, to overhaul traditional egg production methods with sustainability at the core.
Kipster’s ethos revolves around the concept of responsible production. Conventional practices are not only financially driven but also costly to the environment, biodiversity, and animal welfare. Kipster still aims to make money, but it is creating a system that balances productivity with ethical considerations.
Kipster’s innovations start at the beginning, with feed. Unlike traditional methods that primarily use grains and corn — foods that humans can consume — Kipster feeds its chickens with leftovers that humans don’t eat. Doing this prevents waste while also reducing the demand for new crop production, making the process more sustainable.
Another practice introduced by Kipster is the ethical treatment of male chicks. In the poultry industry, male chicks are typically considered useless because they neither lay eggs nor grow as quickly as broilers. Traditionally, these chicks are culled immediately after hatching. Kipster has adopted in-ovo technology, which involves determining the sex of a chick before it hatches, allowing the culling of male embryos long before they develop.
Additionally, Kipster focuses intensely on animal welfare. Their farms are designed to mimic natural environments, providing chickens with ample space to roam, scratch, and engage in natural behaviors. The result is higher quality of life for the chickens and higher-quality eggs.
For those who have seen the documentaries, there’s no horror show going on at Kipster facilities. Anyone can visit and see the operations firsthand, and multiple cameras allow online viewers to observe the farm from anywhere in the world and see how they treat their chickens.
Moreover, Kipster addresses environmental impact through innovative energy use, significantly lowering the carbon footprint of each egg produced. By using renewable energy and offsetting unavoidable emissions, Kipster aims to produce climate-neutral eggs, a significant step forward in sustainable agriculture.
Want to try the eggs for yourself and see if you can taste the difference? In the United States, Kipster has partnered with supermarket chain Kroger, making their responsibly produced eggs accessible to a broad audience. The expansion is part of the mission to prove that sustainable egg production is not only ethically necessary but economically viable.
Kipster’s model presents a transformative approach to agriculture, one that could potentially inspire other companies to adopt more sustainable and ethical practices. As Zanders suggests, the future of food production could very well depend on our willingness to innovate and adapt for the betterment of the planet and its inhabitants. It is also proof that profit and sustainability can coexist, which is the only way many companies are likely to change.
From the Ground Up is an Grit Daily interview show hosted by John Boitnott.
