Hybrid Turkeys began in 1953 as a small family operation based in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The founders, brothers Milo and Ross, were active leaders in the Mennonite community where they were raised. They began the business with two brooder barns and a flock of 500 turkeys.
An important turning point for the company was the addition of Len Weeden in 1961. Len Weeden joined the business as an artificial insemination expert who perfected the A.I. system for turkeys in the early years of its development. The company continued to grow, and in the 1980’s, Hybrid expanded into Europe by exporting their turkey management and breeding technology. This was an important step in gaining a position in the European market.
In the late 90’s Hybrid Turkeys accomplished a major achievement by eradicating salmonella in our system to provide salmonella-free breeding stock. From pedigree through parent stock, it was a five-year mission. It was our belief that one day, salmonella-free health status would be not just a benefit for one or two customers, but an industry expectation. This decision and long-term investment in biosecurity is a great example of the importance of keeping one eye to the future in our business.
In 2007, Hybrid Turkeys joined Hendrix Genetics: a family-owned, multi-species breeding organization. With this change, we were able to invest in stronger infrastructure, research and development, and the knowledge and expertise of our team.
