Hy-Line International

What Hy-Line International does

Hy-Line International is a privately held poultry layer genetics company founded in 1936 by Henry A. Wallace, the first to apply hybridization principles to commercial layer breeding. Headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, the company develops, breeds, and distributes six commercial laying hen varieties (W-36, W-80, Brown, Silver Brown, Sonia/Gray, and Pink) along with sub-variants (W-80 Plus/Pro and Brown Max/Max Pro) to commercial egg producers globally. Its underlying technology combines proprietary statistical genetics with advanced molecular DNA techniques and the Global Genetic Evaluation Program, which analyzes hundreds of millions of data points annually to drive selection on egg production, feed efficiency, shell quality, disease resistance, and livability. The company also operates the largest layer breeding stock hatchery in the world and the largest breeding company-owned diagnostic laboratory in the industry, with an internal Egg Quality Laboratory testing more than one million eggs annually and proprietary Infrared Beak Treatment technology for one-day-old chicks. Supporting digital tools include the EggCel calculator and Lighting Program application.

Hy-Line makes money primarily by selling day-old chicks and higher-generation breeding stock (parent and grandparent stock) to commercial egg producers, multipliers, and franchise hatcheries. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and inquiries route through regional sales directors or distributor contacts. The go-to-market combines a direct enterprise sales force with a global franchise hatchery and distributor network covering more than 120 countries, including direct operations in the USA, UK, France, Italy, South Africa, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil, plus named distributors across Africa, the Middle East, China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Oceania. The customer base is horizontal, spanning large-scale egg producers using conventional cages, cage-free systems, and alternative housing across white, brown, and tinted egg segments. Distribution is reinforced by a technical library published in 17+ languages, a monthly newsletter, technical webinars, and online management guides for each variety.

The business is privately held by the Wallace family, has no disclosed external investors or parent company, and employs 251-500 people. Hy-Line positions itself as the world's oldest layer genetics company and reports that its genetics underpin more than one billion laying hens managed by customers worldwide. Recent strategic emphasis has been on breeder production expansion across the USA, Brazil, and India, commercialization of new Brown Max and W-80 Pro variants, and a 2025 leadership appointment of a new Commercial Director to extend global commercial reach.

Name

Hy-Line International

Legal name

Hy-Line International

Website

https://hyline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Hy-Line International is a privately held poultry layer genetics company founded in 1936, breeding and distributing six commercial laying hen varieties to egg producers across more than 120 countries through direct operations and a global franchise hatchery network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Poultry Layer Genetics

NAICS

Poultry Hatcheries (112340), Poultry and Egg Production (1123)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Breeder Flocks & Fertile Egg Production (Broiler/Layer Breeders) (AFAEADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hatcheries & Chick Production (Day-Old Chicks, Pullets) (AFAEADAD), Broodstock Development & Management (Genetic Lines, SPF/SPR Broodstock) (AFAEAKAG), Pullets & Replacement Stock Rearing (Grow-Out to Point-of-Lay) (AFAEADAE)

Keywords

• Poultry layer genetics
• Laying hen breeding
• Commercial egg production
• Day-old chicks supply
• Poultry breeding stock

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Day-Old Chicks and Breeding Stock: Primary revenue from selling day-old chicks and breeding stock to commercial egg producers through direct sales and franchise hatchery networks globally.
2. Parent Stock and Grandparent Stock: Sale of higher-generation breeding stock to multiplier operations and distributors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hy-Line International breeds and commercially distributes layer hen genetics, selling day-old chicks, parent stock, and grandparent stock to commercial egg producers worldwide. The company maintains six proprietary layer hen varieties (W-36, W-80, Brown, Silver Brown, Sonia/Gray, Pink) and delivers them through franchise hatcheries and a global distributor network in more than 120 countries, supported by the world's largest layer breeding stock hatchery.

Product overview

Hy-Line International is the world's oldest and leading layer genetics company, offering a portfolio of six core laying hen varieties (Hy-Line W-36, W-80, Brown, Silver Brown, Sonia/Gray, and Pink) with various sub-product variants including W-80 Plus/Pro and Brown Max/Max Pro. The company provides supplementary digital tools including the EggCel application and Lighting Program application. Founded in 1936, Hy-Line operates the largest layer breeding stock hatchery in the world and distributes genetics to more than 120 countries globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hy-Line W-36: World's most efficient egg layer with excellent livability; produces top-quality, strong-shelled eggs with minimum feed consumption; the industry's lowest cost producer of eggs.
• Hy-Line W-80
• Hy-Line Brown
• Hy-Line Silver Brown
• Hy-Line Sonia/Gray
• Hy-Line Pink
• EggCel

Products and services

• Hy-Line W-36 The world's most efficient egg layer with excellent livability, producing dozens of top-quality, strong-shelled eggs with minimum feed consumption. Targeted at egg processors as the industry's lowest cost producer of eggs with top egg solid content.
• Hy-Line W-80 A robust white egg layer for all housing systems and environments, delivering prolific egg numbers, excellent egg shell strength, and strong performance under challenging environments and low-density feed rations. Adapted to alternative production systems with a calm temperament.
• Hy-Line W-80 Plus Variant of W-80 with the same traits but an egg weight profile 1.5 grams heavier, designed for markets requiring larger egg size.
• Hy-Line W-80 Pro Variant of W-80 with a smaller egg weight profile (1.5 grams lighter than W-80 standard, 3 grams lighter than W-80 Plus), producing additional hen-housed egg numbers to 100 weeks with approximately 2 grams less feed consumption per bird per day.
• Hy-Line Brown The world's most balanced brown egg layer, approaching 500 rich brown eggs in 100 weeks with excellent feed efficiency, best interior egg quality in the market, and excellent livability.
• Hy-Line Brown Max Robust producer of large, dark brown, strong-shelled eggs through a 100-week cycle, producing upwards of 490 eggs per hen-housed. Passes the 60-gram egg threshold quickly for optimum large egg size profitability, with superior feed efficiency and excellent nesting behavior in cage-free environments.
• Hy-Line Brown Max Pro Possesses similar characteristics to Brown Max but with a moderated egg-weight profile for markets that prefer total egg numbers over higher average egg weight.
• Hy-Line Silver Brown The world's most prolific egg layer, producing over 370 rich brown eggs to 80 weeks, peaking in the high-90's with medium egg size. Features excellent livability and a robust, adaptable temperament suitable for both alternative and intensive production systems.
• Hy-Line Sonia/Gray The world's leader in tinted egg production, producing more than 425 uniform, tinted eggs to 90 weeks, peaking in the mid to upper 90s with an ideal intermediate egg size. Features limited appetite, excellent interior egg quality, and unsurpassed livability.
• Hy-Line Pink A robust layer delivering outstanding tint color eggs with strong performance in challenging environments, producing up to 428 eggs at 90 weeks while maintaining superior egg quality and excellent livability.
• EggCel Application Online application tool provided by Hy-Line for egg-related calculations and management assistance, supporting producers using Hy-Line genetics.
• Lighting Program Application Online application tool for lighting program management for poultry operations using Hy-Line layer genetics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hy-Line Brown Max achieved +7.3 eggs per hen-housed vs field average, +1 kg egg mass per hen, +2% rate of lay advantage, 3.2 g less feed per egg produced, and +3.4% higher livability in Czech International Layer Test 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Quality Poultry HatcherycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Canada. Contact: Edward Dueck. Provides Hy-Line day-old chicks and breeding stock to Canadian egg producers.
• Sagro Chicks SarlcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Guinea. CEO Mamadou Djalo. Distributes Hy-Line genetics to West African markets.
• Huayu Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in China. Contact: Mr. Xie Yonggang. Part of Chinese distributor network.
• Verbeek BVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Netherlands. Address: Kauwenhoven 3, 6741 PW Lunteren, Holland. Distributes Hy-Line genetics across European markets.
• Tegel FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in New Zealand. Contact: Leonard Hawley, National Hatchery & GCC Manager.
• Hy-Line UKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in United Kingdom. Contact: Louise Long.
• Hy-Line FrancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in France. Contact: Frederic Masson.
• Hy-Line ItaliacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Italy. Contact: Paolo Ceoletta.
• Hy-Line South AfricacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in South Africa. Contact: Andre van der Merwe.
• Hy-Line North AmericacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in North America. Contact: Ian Rubinoff.
• Hy-Line de MexicocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in Mexico. Contact: Edgar Hernandez.
• Hy-Line PerucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in Peru. Contact: Yacson Andredy Tapiero Hernandez.
• Hy-Line ColombiacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in Colombia. Contact: Pablo Jaimes.
• Hy-Line EcuadorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect Hy-Line operation in Ecuador.
• Specialised Breeders AustraliacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Australia.
• KenchiccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Kenya. Contact: James Ogila.
• MISR Poultry Breeders Co. (MIPCO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Egypt. Contact: Yasmin El Alaily.
• Shenyang Huamei Livestock and Poultry Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in China. Contact: Mr. Wang Daqing.
• Garanti TavukculukcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in Turkey. Contact: Melih Camci.
• Srinivasa Farms Private LimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Line distributor in India. Contact: Venugopal K S.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tetra (Babolna Tetra):
• Lohmann Tierzucht: German-based global layer genetics company and one of Hy-Line's two principal direct competitors, selling layer breeding stock under the Lohmann LSL and Lohmann Brown brands to commercial egg producers worldwide.
• Hendrix Genetics (ISA): Dutch animal genetics conglomerate whose ISA division directly competes with Hy-Line in layer breeding stock (ISA Brown, ISA White, Shaver, Babcock), serving the same commercial egg producer customer base globally.
• H&N International: German-origin layer genetics company distributing Hy-Line-style commercial layer breeding stock (Nick Chick, Super Nick) to egg producers worldwide, competing head-to-head in white and brown egg segments.
• Novogen: French layer genetics company producing commercial layer breeding stock (NOVOgen Brown, NOVOgen White) sold to egg producers globally, directly competing with Hy-Line in both conventional and alternative housing segments.
• Hubbard (Aviagen Group): Part of Aviagen/EW Group ecosystem, Hubbard develops layer breeding stock and competes with Hy-Line in the grandparent and parent stock layers of the commercial egg supply chain across multiple geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HyLineInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hy-line-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Hy-Line International