Inside the Flock: A Conversation with Trevor Aitchison

It’s a chance to celebrate the people behind the progress — and to give you a closer look at the culture, values, and vision that guide us.

So, let’s dive in and hear what it’s really like to be part of the flock.

In this edition of Inside the Flock, we sit down with Trevor Aitchison, General Manager for Hybrid Turkeys in the Americas, to hear his reflections on industry challenges, innovation, and what keeps him passionate about the turkey business.

Our industry has seen major challenges over the past five years with respect to disease challenges and changes in consumption. Turkey consumption is a big part of our sustainability as an industry.

One of the new creative initiatives we have launched to tackle this is to wrap our trailers with turkey protein-focused messaging. They’re essentially moving billboards. We drive millions of miles across North America, and it’s a unique way to promote turkey to consumers. For many years our trailers have been wrapped with our own branding, but that doesn't really appeal to the consumer. It's a chance for us to promote the industry for the benefit of all. That really encapsulates how Hybrid Turkeys approaches the business. We always look for the best win-win-win for us, our customers, and the industry.

The industry has faced many health challenges over the past five years, and unfortunately, it seems as though it’s actually gotten worse. But Hybrid Turkeys is taking a proactive stance. We’re investing in REO research, and I’m excited about what’s coming through. Dr. Evan VanBeusekom will be able to share more on that in a future update.

Another promising development is the rollout of the aMPV vaccine. We’re seeing better livability and fewer field challenges. Our team was proactive in acquiring the vaccine, and the feedback from customers has been very positive. More time is needed to really get an understanding of the impact of this, but so far it seems to be working quite well.

One of the key factors in the organization is certainly the customer side of it. We have really emphasized the customer focus within our entire organization. Not just sales and field staff. We see it as a priority for everyone. From egg gathering on the farm, to hatching poults in the hatchery, to our truck drivers—everyone plays a role. And that customer focus from all areas in the organization, it's coming through, and I'm pleased with the progress we've made.

Obviously, R&D is the heartbeat of our organization. We need to continue investing in R&D to improve feed conversion, yields, weight, and livability. The team is doing excellent work to put the best genetics possible into the pipeline. What's really exciting is the recent approval to make a significant, investment in our R&D program. It's a huge opportunity to advance our genetics and deliver value for our customers for a more sustainable turkey industry.

Security of supply has become a very hot topic over the past several years due to all the disease challenges that the industry has faced. And of course, for the industry, reduced supply hurts us as an industry. If the consumer can't find turkey available, they're going to find an alternative. And it may be tough for us to find a replacement to get turkey back on the shelf. For that reason, we know that security of supply is very important, and we take that very seriously. This is why we have a diverse, portfolio of production hubs in North America. That's very important for us to help reduce the risk and secure the supply to our customers.

For the turkey industry, it’s absolutely integral that we continue to focus on efficiencies. We’ve got to keep investing and innovating in R&D to make turkey more sustainable. Traits such as feed conversion, breast meat yield, body weight, and livability are all critical. They’re key to keeping our industry viable long-term.

The other piece is that this is a two-player market, and strong competition is essential. We need two strong genetic companies in this space because it pushes us all to be better and helps the whole industry move forward. For the customer, having that choice is important. It gives our customers power, and that’s something we all benefit from in the turkey industry.

I’ve basically spent my whole life in the turkey industry. I still find it very exciting and rewarding. We’re making a better turkey every day. Not too many people in the world can say they play a major part in feeding the world with a great protein like turkey. I would also say that the relationships are another motivator. The relationships I've made internally and with our customers are very inspiring, and that continues to drive my passion for this industry.