What Lohmann Breeders Gmbh does

LOHMANN BREEDERS GmbH is a German-headquartered (Cuxhaven) animal genetics company founded in 1960 that specializes exclusively in layer hen breeding. The company develops and produces high-performance Parent Stock (PS) laying hens across a comprehensive strain portfolio covering white-egg layers (LOHMANN LSL CLASSIC, LSL LITE, LSL EXTRA, LSL ULTRA LITE), brown-egg layers (LOHMANN BROWN CLASSIC, BROWN LITE, BROWN EXTRA, TRADITION, plus SANDY and SILVER tinted variants), and specialty breeds for cage-free and alternative housing systems (LOHMANN DUAL, RUSTIC, BROWN-CAMPERA). Its breeding program applies genetic selection for production performance, eggshell quality, feed efficiency, longevity, and welfare traits.

The company monetizes primarily through sale of Parent Stock birds and day-old chicks to a global network of exclusive franchise hatcheries and regional distributors, supplemented by genetic material licensing and a significant technical-services and training business (LOHMANN SCHOOL and its variants, the Toolbox resource library, Global Technical Service team). Go-to-market is a hybrid channel model: direct technical sales to enterprise egg producers, distributor and franchise hatchery multiplication networks for tier-2 reach, and event-driven demand generation at major poultry exhibitions (VIV Europe, VIV Asia, IPPE, LPN Congress). Customers include long-tenured enterprise distributors such as Ghen Corporation (Japan, 50+ years), Steinsland & Co (Norway, 70 years), HASTAVUK (Turkey, 50 years), and Bounty Farms (Philippines, 25 years), with commercial reach spanning 28+ countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. The company is privately held (German GmbH), rebranded to its current name in July 2020, and operates a UK subsidiary (Lohmann Breeders UK Limited); no venture capital or external institutional ownership is disclosed.

Name

Lohmann Breeders Gmbh

Legal name

LOHMANN BREEDERS GmbH

Website

https://lohmann-breeders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Short description

LOHMANN BREEDERS GmbH, founded 1960 and headquartered in Cuxhaven, Germany, is a global pure-play layer hen genetics company that develops and sells Parent Stock and day-old chicks of white- and brown-egg strains through an exclusive franchise hatchery and distributor network spanning 28+ countries, complemented by technical services and training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Poultry Genetics and Layer Breeding

NAICS

Poultry and Egg Production (1123), Poultry Hatcheries (112340), Poultry Hatcheries (11234)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nucleus Herd/Flock Breeding & Multiplier Stock Supply (AFAEAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hatcheries & Chick Production (Day-Old Chicks, Pullets) (AFAEADAD), Genetic Trait Selection (e.g., polled, disease resistance) Services (AFAEAJAJ), Breeder Flocks & Fertile Egg Production (Broiler/Layer Breeders) (AFAEADAC)

Keywords

• Poultry breeding genetics
• Layer hen breeds
• Parent stock birds
• Egg production genetics
• Poultry breeding stock

Headquarters

HQ city

Cuxhaven

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Parent Stock Bird Sales: Sale of Parent Stock (PS) breeding birds to franchise hatcheries and distributors worldwide. These are foundation birds that produce the commercial laying hens for egg production.
2. Day-Old Chick Sales: Sale of day-old chicks through franchise hatchery network to commercial egg producers globally.
3. Technical Services and Training: Comprehensive technical support, training programs (LOHMANN SCHOOL, Hatchery Courses, Cage-Free Schools), and ongoing customer support through Global Technical Service team.
4. Genetic Material Licensing: Licensing of proprietary genetics through franchise distributor network and regional partnerships for local multiplication and distribution.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels16 records

Core offering

LOHMANN BREEDERS GmbH breeds, develops, and distributes proprietary layer (egg-laying) hen genetics worldwide. The company produces and sells Parent Stock birds across two core product families — LOHMANN LSL (white eggs) and LOHMANN Brown (brown eggs) — with multiple strain variants optimized for cage, cage-free, and alternative housing systems. Sales are made through an exclusive franchise hatchery and distributor network, complemented by day-old chick distribution, technical services, and educational training programs.

Product overview

LOHMANN BREEDERS is a layer breeding company offering a comprehensive portfolio of Parent Stock birds and educational/support services. The core products consist of white egg-laying strains (LOHMANN LSL CLASSIC, LSL LITE, LSL EXTRA, LSL ULTRA LITE) and brown egg-laying strains (LOHMANN BROWN CLASSIC, BROWN LITE, BROWN EXTRA, SANDY, SILVER, TRADITION), plus specialty breeds for alternative housing (LOHMANN DUAL, RUSTIC, BROWN-CAMPERA). These are complemented by extensive support services including the LOHMANN SCHOOL educational programs (encompassing Hatchery Course, Cage-Free School, Laboratory School, and Nordic School variants), GLOBAL EGG SCHOOL charitable initiative with the International Egg Foundation, the technical Toolbox resource library, and publications (LOHMANN INFORMATION, POULTRY NEWS). The company also produces marketing content through the EGGSTRAORDINARY INSIGHTS series, PODCAST, VIDEO BOX, and COOKBOOK. The offering is structured as a unified breeding portfolio with associated technical services, not a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LOHMANN LSL CLASSIC

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% gender guarantee provided for hen and cock chicks
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regional.

• Bounty Farms (Philippines)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Southeast Asia's largest Parent Stock customer. Celebrated 25-year partnership anniversary with LOHMANN in 2024. Grew from initial order of 5,000 PS chicks to dominant regional producer. Partnership marked with celebration in Cebu, Philippines.
• SunLohmann Agriculture TechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint venture formed in 2021 between LOHMANN BREEDERS and Chinese partners. SunLohmann Agriculture Tech serves as a brand platform in China, combining LOHMANN genetics expertise with local market presence. Brand Release Conference held in May 2024 in Nanchang, Jiangxi.
• International Egg Foundation (IEF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for Global Egg School initiative bringing poultry training and education to developing regions. LOHMANN BREEDERS provides expertise and resources for training programs in Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Thailand, supporting the IEF's mission to empower communities through knowledge.
• Ghen Corporation (Japan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1963Exclusive distributor of LOHMANN LSL breeders in Japan for over 50 years. Founded by former chairman Hideo Tokoro in 1963. Hosts annual Sakura meetings with LOHMANN team. Ghen Corporation has been rising LOHMANN's sun in Japan for more than 50 years.
• Novo Mundo Hatchery (Brazil)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Brazilian hatchery celebrating 30 years of excellence in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
• HASTAVUK (Turkey)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTurkish distributor founded in 1972 by Sedat Sırrı Sezer and İsmail Hakkı Yılmaz. Celebrated 50th anniversary in 2022.
• Incubandina S.A. (Ecuador)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor in Ecuador celebrating 30 years in poultry production in 2022.
• Steinsland & Co (Norway)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorwegian distributor celebrating 70 years in poultry business in 2023. Emphasizes profitability and quality.
• Arab Poultry Breeders (Saudi Arabia)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Middle East partner with 33+ years of cooperation. Important regional producer in Saudi Arabia.
• Avicola Sofia (Bolivia)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMost traditional poultry company in Bolivia with over 40 years in the market, similar legacy to LOHMANN BROWN.
• Agropecuaria Vallecito (Peru)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor in Peru celebrating 30-year anniversary in 2024.
• Geflügelzucht ter Heerdt (Netherlands/Belgium)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLOHMANN distributor since 2012, serving Netherlands and Belgium. Hosts regular customer days.
• Avicola Germana (Latin America)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBecame LOHMANN distributor in Latin America in 2019. Company founded exclusively to distribute LOHMANN products.
• Sotavi (Tunisia)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of 3 major producers supplying Tunisian market, which is 100% LOHMANN LSL.
• Chaudry Group (Pakistan)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Pakistani producer that invested in new state-of-the-art hatchery facility.
• Bergvlei Chicks (South Africa)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosted LOHMANN information day in Bronkonspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa in March 2023.
• Quantum Foods (South Africa)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegular customer receiving service visits from LOHMANN Global Technical Service team in South Africa.
• Tewodros Farms (Ethiopia)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew customer with first shipment of parent stock received in autumn 2022.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Aviagen: Aviagen is the world's largest primary poultry breeding company (Ross and Arbor Acres broiler brands plus layers), offering broader species and breed coverage than Lohmann. They overlap with Lohmann in supplying breeding stock to integrated poultry operations but with a primary focus on broilers rather than layers.
• Cobb-Vantress: Cobb-Vantress, owned by Tyson Foods, is a major primary poultry breeder focused on broilers but with historical layer genetics presence. They overlap with Lohmann in serving large integrated poultry producers and breeding stock distribution networks.

Direct peers

• Novogen: Novogen is a French-based layer genetics company offering brown and white egg layer parent stock with strong positions in alternative housing and welfare-friendly breeds. They compete with Lohmann in the same commercial egg producer customer base, particularly in European and emerging markets.
• H&N International: H&N International is a German-based layer breeding company with similar heritage to Lohmann, also founded on European genetics and competing directly in white and brown egg layer strains. Both companies emphasize global distribution, technical service, and specialized layer-only focus.
• Hendrix Genetics (ISA Poultry): Hendrix Genetics' ISA Poultry division (including Bovans, Babcock, Shaver, and Hisex brands) competes head-to-head with Lohmann in layer breeding across all major markets. Both companies are privately held, focused exclusively on breeding stock, and serve franchise hatchery networks with parent stock birds.
• Hy-Line International: Hy-Line International, owned by EW Group, is the world's largest layer breeding company and Lohmann's most direct competitor in white and brown egg layer genetics. Both companies operate pyramid breeding structures with grandparent/parent stock distribution and serve the same commercial egg producer customers globally.
• Tetra (Babolna Tetra): Tetra is a Hungarian layer breeding company with a long heritage in poultry genetics, specializing in brown egg layers and alternative housing systems. They compete with Lohmann particularly in Eastern European, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets through similar franchise distributor models.

Others

• Groupe Grimaud: Groupe Grimaud is a French multi-species animal genetics group (including layer genetics under its subsidiary brands). They are adjacent to Lohmann as a fellow genetics platform with breeding programs across species, supplying parent stock and grandparent stock into the same commercial poultry value chain.

Emerging players

• Hubbard: Hubbard is a poultry breeding company with both broiler and slow-growing/alternative breed lines, owned by Aviagen. They overlap with Lohmann in providing specialized breeding stock to commercial poultry operations, particularly in alternative and welfare-oriented production segments.

Regional players

• Beijing Huadu Yukou Poultry Industry: Beijing Huadu Yukou is one of China's largest domestic layer breeding companies with significant market share in the Chinese layer genetics market. They are comparable to Lohmann as a layer-focused breeder but operate primarily in China rather than competing globally with Lohmann's franchise network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lohmann-breeders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Lohmann Breeders Gmbh