Mt Barker Chicken

What Mt Barker Chicken does

Mt Barker Chicken is a Western Australian free-range poultry producer and processor, founded in 2001 and operating as a brand under Milne Agrigroup (ACN 92 008 919 579). The company raises free-range chickens on family farms in the Great Southern region of Western Australia and processes them at a state-of-the-art, BRC-AA accredited facility in East Rockingham (2 Alumina Rd). The portfolio comprises over 50 SKUs across four product categories: fresh chicken cuts (whole birds, breasts, thighs, drumsticks, mince, stir-fry strips), ready-to-cook marinated and crumbed items (peri peri, yakitori, schnitzels, winglets, rotisserie), ready-to-eat cooked products (carved, shredded, and diced roasted chicken breast), and heat-and-eat ready meal centres (Tikka Masala, Massaman, Butter Chicken, French, Spanish, Moroccan), plus sausages and meatballs. Free-range production meets over 300 requirements of the RSPCA Standard for Meat Chickens, and Mt Barker was the first free-range chicken producer certified by RSPCA Approved in Australia, having also participated in developing those standards.

The business sells through three primary channels: (1) major Australian supermarket chains — Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Farmer Jacks, and independent grocers; (2) premium WA foodservice, with chicken on menus at Miss Chow's, Rockpool, and Bib & Tucker; and (3) food-relief donations through Foodbank and Second Bite. Pricing is set at the retail level by the supermarkets and is not publicly disclosed. The company employs 251-500 people across its Mt Barker farms and Rockingham processing facility, and was awarded a $1 million Western Australian government grant in November 2024 to fund a 30% increase in processing capacity, 20 new jobs, and shelf-life extension to support expansion into eastern Australian and international markets. The company is also pursuing sustainability credentials via APCO membership and the Landcare Australia Ranges Link Project (130km+ of wildlife fencing across 40,000 hectares in the Kalgan River valley).

Name

Mt Barker Chicken

Legal name

Milne Agrigroup

Website

https://mtbarkerchicken.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Mt Barker Chicken is a Western Australian free-range poultry producer and processor, founded in 2001, operating a BRC-AA accredited processing facility in Rockingham and distributing over 50 SKUs through major Australian supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, IGA) and premium WA restaurants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Free-Range Poultry Products

NAICS

Poultry Processing (311615)

SIC

Poultry Slaughtering And Processing (2015)

akta.pro primary industry

Ready-to-Eat/Ready-to-Heat Poultry Meals & Components (Meal Kits, Fully Cooked Items) (AFANACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Broiler Chicken Production (Meat Birds) (AFAEADAA)

Keywords

• Free-range poultry farming
• Chicken meat processing
• Fresh chicken cuts
• Ready-to-eat chicken meals
• RSPCA approved chicken

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockingham

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail consumer product sales: Primary revenue from sales of over 50 free-range chicken products (whole chooks, fresh cuts, kebabs, marinated winglets/strips/tenders, sausages, crumbed schnitzels, ready-to-eat carved chicken, ready-to-heat meal centres) through major supermarket chains (Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Farmer Jacks, Independent Grocers).
2. Foodservice and restaurant supply: Supply of premium free-range chicken to Western Australian restaurants and food establishments, including Miss Chow's, Rockpool, and Bib & Tucker.
3. Government grant funding (one-time): $1 million grant awarded by the Western Australian government to support expansion and market diversification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mt Barker Chicken is a Western Australian family-owned poultry producer that breeds and raises free-range chickens on family farms in the Great Southern region and processes them at a BRC-AA accredited facility in Rockingham into a portfolio of over 50 products spanning fresh cuts, ready-to-cook marinated and crumbed items, ready-to-eat cooked chicken, sausages, meatballs, and internationally inspired heat-and-eat meal centres.

Product overview

Mt Barker Chicken offers a single unified product line of free-range chicken products produced at its state-of-the-art processing facility in Rockingham, Western Australia, from chickens raised on family farms in the Great Southern region. The portfolio spans Fresh Chicken Cuts (e.g., Fresh Chicken Breast Fillet, Fresh Chicken Thigh Fillet, Fresh Chicken Tenderloins, Fresh Whole Chicken, Fresh Chicken Maryland, Fresh Chicken Breast Stir-Fry Strips, Fresh Chicken Mince, Fresh Diced Chicken Breast Fillet, Fresh Chicken Leg Fillet Diced, Fresh Chicken Wing Nibbles, Fresh Chicken Thigh Cutlets Family Pack, Fresh Chicken Drumsticks Family Pack, Fresh Chicken Whole Wings Family Pack, Fresh Chicken Breast Multi-pack), Ready-to-Cook marinated and crumbed items (e.g., Lemon & Herb Greek Style Chicken, Mango and Coconut Thigh Fillets, Chicken Peri Peri Breast Strips, Chicken Yakitori, Smokey BBQ Chicken Ribs, Chicken Breast Crumbed Schnitzel, Ciabatta Crumb Chicken Schnitzel, Mini Schnitty, Garlic Parmesan Chicken Cutlets, Chicken Peri Peri Winglets, Chicken Smokey BBQ Winglets, Chicken Hot Honey Winglets, Roast Classic Herb Stuffed Rotisserie Chicken, Roast BBQ Rotisserie Chicken), Ready-to-Eat cooked items (Roasted Carved Chicken Breast, Roasted Shredded Chicken Breast, Roasted Diced Chicken Breast, Diced Peri Peri Chicken Breast, Lemon Pepper & Herb Carved Chicken Breast), Sausages and Meatballs (Chicken and Cheese Kransky Sausages, Chicken Country Sausage, Italian Style Chicken Meatballs), and Heat-and-Eat ready meal centres (Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Massaman Curry, Indian Butter Chicken, French Chicken and Mushrooms, plus new Moroccan Chicken & Couscous and Spanish Style Chicken & Chorizo). The portfolio is unified by a single free-range, RSPCA Approved, BRC-AA accredited supply chain and is complemented by the Mt Barker Chicken Sandwich Cookbook digital cookbook.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Chicken Breast Fillet Premium skinless chicken breast fillets from Mt Barker free-range chickens; a versatile cut for daily meals prepared via air fryer, BBQ/grill, fry/stove, or oven.
• Fresh Chicken Thigh Fillet Fresh boneless chicken thigh fillet providing a high-protein base for everyday recipes.
• Fresh Chicken Tenderloins The most tender part of the chicken breast, suited for stir-frying, crumbing, or use in casseroles.
• Fresh Whole Chicken The original Mt Barker whole free-range chicken raised naturally in country Western Australia, available in 1.2kg to 2.7kg sizes.
• Fresh Chicken Maryland Fresh chicken maryland cut ideal for roasting on a bed of vegetables or with a warm salad.
• Fresh Chicken Breast Stir-Fry Strips Pre-cut fresh chicken breast stir-fry strips designed for a nutritious meal in less than 15 minutes.
• Fresh Chicken Wing Nibbles Fresh chicken wings suited to picnics and family barbecues.
• Fresh Chicken Thigh Cutlets with Skin Family Pack Versatile fresh chicken thigh cutlets with skin in a family pack, ideal for paella, gumbo, cacciatore style recipes or roasted.
• Fresh Chicken Drumsticks with Skin Family Pack Fresh chicken drumsticks with skin in a family pack, suited to oven roasting, grilling, or BBQ.
• Fresh Chicken Whole Wings with Skin Family Pack Fresh chicken whole wings with skin in a family pack for oven roasting or BBQ.
• Fresh Chicken Mince Mt Barker free-range chicken mince, high in protein with fewer calories than beef or pork mince, for versatile everyday cooking.
• Fresh Diced Chicken Breast Fillet Pre-diced fresh chicken breast fillet, ready to drop into pasta or casseroles for a quick meal.
• Fresh Diced Chicken Leg Fillet Versatile and tasty fresh diced chicken leg fillet, ideal for stir-fries, curries and casseroles.
• Fresh Chicken Breast Multi-pack Excellent value 6-pack of free-range chicken breasts, individually portioned and packaged for convenience.
• Lemon & Herb Greek Style Chicken Premium free-range chicken leg fillet sliced and coated in a zesty Lemon & Herb Greek style marinade, suitable for kebabs.
• Mango and Coconut Thigh Fillets Tender boneless free-range chicken thighs coated in a slightly sweet mango and coconut marinade.
• Chicken Peri Peri Breast Strips Free-range chicken breast strips in a spicy Portuguese-inspired Peri Peri marinade for hot-flavour fans.
• Chicken Yakitori Free-range chicken leg fillets coated in a Japanese-style soy-based Yakitori marinade.
• Smokey BBQ Chicken Ribs Special cut from underneath the breast creating a meaty morsel in a smokey BBQ marinade, suited to finger foods.
• Chicken Breast Crumbed Schnitzel Tender free-range chicken breast schnitzels coated in a herbed ciabatta crumb with Parmesan, ready to cook.
• Ciabatta Crumb Chicken Schnitzel Free-range chicken schnitzel coated in a stone-baked ciabatta crumb.
• Mini Schnitty Free-range chicken mini schnitzel coated in a stone-baked ciabatta crumb.
• Garlic Parmesan Chicken Cutlets Free-range chicken thighs coated in a garlic parmesan seasoning.
• Chicken Peri Peri Winglets Juicy free-range chicken winglets coated in a spicy Peri Peri marinade, suited to parties and entertaining.
• Chicken Smokey BBQ Winglets Juicy free-range chicken winglets coated in a sweet and smokey BBQ marinade.
• Chicken Hot Honey Winglets Free-range chicken winglets with a honey-chilli glaze delivering a sweet and spicy flavour, suited to parties.
• Roast Classic Herb Stuffed Rotisserie Chicken Juicy West Australian rotisserie chicken stuffed with a traditional savoury herb and breadcrumb filling.
• Roast BBQ Rotisserie Chicken West Australian free-range rotisserie chicken in a BBQ flavour, ready to enjoy or use in recipes and salads.
• Roasted Carved Chicken Breast Premium roasted and carved free-range chicken breast (95%), ready to eat straight from the pack or use in recipes.
• Roasted Shredded Chicken Breast Fresh Australian roasted and shredded free-range chicken breast (95%), ready to eat straight from the pack, hot or cold.
• Roasted Diced Chicken Breast Roasted and diced free-range chicken breast, suited to salads and as a sandwich and wrap filler.
• Diced Peri Peri Chicken Breast Premium roasted and diced Peri Peri flavoured free-range chicken breast, ready to eat hot or cold.
• Lemon Pepper & Herb Carved Chicken Breast Premium roasted and carved lemon, pepper and herb free-range chicken breast, ready to eat cold or hot.
• Chicken and Cheese Kransky Sausages Gluten-free free-range chicken sausages with melted cheese and a robust blend of black pepper, herbs and spices.
• Chicken Country Sausage Free-range chicken blended with herbs and spices for a popular family-friendly sausage.
• Italian Style Chicken Meatballs Homestyle meatballs made with WA free-range chicken, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
• Chicken Tikka Masala Authentic Indian-style chicken Tikka Masala with free-range chicken pieces (70%) in a subtly spiced creamy tomato curry sauce; ready-to-heat meal centre.
• Chicken Massaman Curry Massaman curry combining red Thai curry paste with coconut cream and spices, free-range chicken and potatoes; ready-to-heat meal centre.
• Indian Butter Chicken
• French Chicken and Mushrooms French-style dish with Mt Barker free-range chicken in a rich white wine sauce, with mushrooms and bacon; midweek ready-to-heat meal centre.
• Moroccan Chicken & Couscous Moroccan-style ready-to-heat meal with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika, free-range chicken (70%) and fluffy couscous.
• Spanish Style Chicken & Chorizo Spanish-style ready-to-heat meal with smoked paprika, garlic, saffron, herbs, free-range chicken (32%), chorizo (5%), and roasted potatoes.
• Mt Barker Chicken Sandwich Cookbook Free digital cookbook of sandwich recipes using Mt Barker's free-range roasted chicken breast, ranging from everyday to gourmet creations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Planned 30% increase in processing capacity supported by a $1 million WA government grant
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, minor and core / strategic.

• RSPCA Australia (RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme)flagship / coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMt Barker Chicken was the first free-range chicken producer to be certified by RSPCA Approved and played a role in the development of the RSPCA's higher welfare meat chicken standards. Mt Barker's farms meet over 300 requirements in the RSPCA Standard for Meat Chickens, with annual assessments by RSPCA Assessors covering animal behaviour, conditions, and management; the abattoir is also assessed annually.
• FoodbankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoodbank partnership ensures Mt Barker Chicken donates unsold product, which Foodbank distributes to community members in need; described on the company website as part of Mt Barker's commitment to community involvement and food waste reduction.
• Second BiteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSecond Bite is a community food-relief partner that pairs with Mt Barker Chicken to distribute donated product to people in need.
• Landcare Australiacore / strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerMt Barker Free Range has partnered with Landcare Australia and the Oyster Harbour Catchment Group to create the Ranges Link Project, with the goal of regrowing wildlife habitats across the Kalgan River valley between the Porongurup and Stirling Ranges; the proudest achievement has been building over 130km of fencing.
• Oyster Harbour Catchment GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner with Landcare Australia and Mt Barker Chicken on the Ranges Link Project to restore wildlife habitats across the Kalgan River valley between the Porongurup and Stirling Ranges.
• Milne Agrigroup (Milne)flagship / coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMilne Agrigroup (ABN 92 008 919 579) is the operator and owner of the Mt Barker Chicken website and all related content; Mt Barker Chicken operates as a brand under the Milne Agrigroup umbrella.
• APCO (Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMt Barker is a member of APCO, a voluntary organisation that provides guidance on improving the sustainability of its packaging. As a member, Mt Barker sets targets and makes commitments that reduce the environmental impact of its packaging.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Inghams Group: Australia's largest poultry producer (ASX: ING) with national farming and processing footprint spanning conventional and free-range. Directly comparable as a chicken protein supplier to the same Coles/Woolworths and foodservice channels Mt Barker serves, but at vastly greater scale and with a broader portfolio.
• Coles (own-brand poultry): Owns and stocks its own free-range chicken range alongside Mt Barker on Coles shelves. Functions as both key customer and direct competitive threat via retailer private-label free-range products.
• Woolworths (own-brand poultry): Stocks Mt Barker alongside its own free-range and organic chicken ranges. Comparable as a major distribution channel and a direct competitive force through retailer-owned premium labels.

Direct peers

• Steggles (Tegel / Baiada): Major Australian chicken brand owned by Baiada, with national retail and foodservice presence across fresh and value-added chicken categories. Directly comparable SKU range, retail channels, and premium positioning relative to Mt Barker.
• Lilydale Free Range: Premium Australian free-range chicken brand sold nationally through Coles and Woolworths. Closest direct competitor on RSPCA-style welfare positioning, antibiotic-free claims, and supermarket shelf placement.
• Golden Cockerel: Australian family-owned free-range chicken producer distributed nationally through major supermarkets. Comparable on family-owned heritage, free-range positioning, and retail/foodservice dual channel model.

Regional players

• Hazeldene's Chicken Farm: Victorian-based integrated poultry producer with strong regional brand, national retail listings, and value-added product lines. Comparable as a vertically integrated regional chicken producer expanding beyond its home state.
• Turi Foods: Victorian-based poultry and smallgoods producer with national retail presence under multiple brands. Comparable vertically integrated regional player with similar fresh and processed chicken offering.

Emerging players

• The Free Range Co: Australian free-range poultry brand focused on premium ethical positioning in retail and foodservice. Comparable niche free-range positioning and supermarket placement strategy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mtbarkerchicken6018
• Facebookfacebook.com/mtbarkerchicken
• Instagraminstagram.com/mtbarkerchicken
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mt-barker-chicken

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mt Barker Chicken