Agri Advanced Technologies Announces they are Supplying Two In-Ovo Sexing Systems to US

Agri Advanced Technologies (AAT), announced today that they are bringing their in-ovo sexing system to two US hatcheries in the fall of 2024. This comes on the back of three US egg companies in the last six months announcing intentions to sell eggs from in-ovo sexed hens, suggesting that AAT’s machine will supply these companies with in-ovo sexed hens.

AAT’s machine, called Cheggy, uses hyperspectral imaging to determine the color of a developing embryo’s feathers, at an impressive throughput of 25,000 eggs per hour with high accuracy. AAT is the current market leader in Europe, accounting for a significant share of the in ovo sexed hens on the continent, and at the cheapest costs. 

Jörg Hurlin, founder and CEO of AAT, expressed his excitement about the U.S. launch, stating, "The launch of Cheggy in two U.S. hatcheries marks a giant step forward for non-invasive in-ovo sex determination technology. This is more than just a technical innovation—it's a transformative approach that aligns with the growing demand for welfare and sustainable practices in the poultry industry.”

The technology only works for brown layers, since the males and females have different colored feathers. The US market is primarily white layers, meaning there is a limit to the market share AAT will be able to achieve. However brown layers tend to be more common in specialty egg categories, where in-ovo sexing will appear first. Of the three US egg companies that have announced their intention to use in-ovo sexing so far, NestFresh and Egg Innovations both use primarily brown layers, while Kipster uses primarily white layers. It remains to be seen which technology company will supply in-ovo sexing for the white layer market in the US.

The flurry of announcements in the last six months highlight the momentum behind this paradigm shifting approach to egg production in the US. Other leading specialty egg producers like Vital Farms, large CPG companies like Unilever, and major distributors like UNFI have also all expressed interest in adopting in-ovo sexing once it's available in the US. 

The question is no longer if this technology will come to the US, or when the first machines will arrive. The question is rather: which retailers, brands, and producers will capitalize on the technology’s commercial opportunity – and which will be left behind.