PD Hook (Breeders) Ltd has reported improved profitability following last year’s restructuring of the business, as the company sharpened its focus on supplying the UK’s independent poultry sector and completed a transition to the next generation of family leadership.
The strategic review culminated in the creation of 2Agriculture Farming Ltd on 1 August 2025, with Boparan Private Office acquiring the former Hook2Sisters growing business together with the associated chick and poult supply chain serving 2 Sisters Food Group and Bernard Matthews. As a result, the group has demerged a significant proportion of its operations and since last summer has concentrated on supplying independent customers through its two hatcheries at Cote and Dalton and its breeder farm network, producing around 3.5 million chicks a week.
The company said the changes were accompanied by a significant governance milestone, with all members of the next generation of the Hook family joining the board and taking operational roles to provide “good strategic vision and planning for the future”.
Financially, turnover from continuing operations slipped slightly from £30.1 million to £29.7 million according to its latest annual accounts for the year ended 31 October 2025, but operating profit almost tripled to £1.72 million (2024: £589,000) as improved hatchery and farm performance, stronger gross margins and tighter cost control offset lower egg production. Total profit after tax increased to £2.47 million, up from £2.10 million a year earlier.
During the year, the business invested £3.6 million in refurbishing existing sites and acquiring new ones as part of a long-term programme to secure future chick supply. The group said demand for chicks had remained strong, reporting market growth of around 2%, driven by continued consumer demand for chicken.
However, the directors warned that avian influenza remains the industry’s greatest challenge, with outbreaks across the UK and Europe tightening hatching egg supplies and increasing operating costs. The company said it had continued to strengthen biosecurity and invest in its breeder farms to protect future production.
Looking ahead, PD Hook said it remained confident in the long-term outlook for the UK poultry sector, although ensuring sufficient hatching egg supply would remain a key priority as it continues its investment programme.