While some may turn up their noses at the sight of walkie-talkies, chicken feet, and giblets, the walkies are on their way to China.
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A Western Cape company has recently signed a lucrative R300 million contract to export chicken feet to China, where they are considered a delicacy.
According to Wesgro, AskCarlaKote’s landmark deal to supply poultry delicacies to China, made in collaboration with Wesgro and Standard Bank, will also create 3 000 new jobs.
Wesgro said the specialised trading consultancy plans to deliver 540 tonnes of chicken feet per month, primarily through partnerships with women-owned poultry farms in the Western Cape and Mpumalanga.
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Walkie-talkies, as they are commonly known in China, are in high demand among consumers. Carla Kote, the founder of AskCarlaKote, told IOL that they remain optimistic despite the country’s bird flu outbreak, which has temporarily delayed the deal’s implementation.
‘This deal holds enormous potential for South African poultry farmers and our clients. While we have experienced some delays due to the recent bird flu outbreak in the country, we are optimistic that once all regulatory hurdles have been addressed, we will be sending our first test order to China before the end of the year.
‘This trade deal is the result of collaboration between Wesgro, Standard Bank, the farming sector, and my company. Standard Bank has pledged its support to enhance and grow the broilers and abattoirs within our supply chain.
‘The agriculture departments in Mpumalanga and Western Cape have also thrown their full support behind this initiative.’
In addition, they have already received a second request to supply chicken feet to the Asian market.
According to Wesgro, chicken feet are in high demand in China, accounting for roughly half of the country’s annual chicken imports. In China, chicken feet are used in soups, stews, and as snacks.
Historically, the Asian giant has gotten the majority of its chicken feet from Brazil, Vietnam, and the United States.
Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander described the agreement as a significant achievement for the South African poultry industry.
‘With its potential to create thousands of jobs and bolster the regional economy, this deal stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in driving economic growth.
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‘Our mission at Wesgro is to support businesses in driving economic growth and job creation across the city and province. This deal is a significant milestone towards achieving these goals,’ she said.
Mireille Wenger, MEC for Finance and Economic Opportunities, described this as a deal to be proud of.
‘This significant export deal is exactly the kind of expansion that we are proud to have played a part in enabling, supporting many jobs in this province and beyond, to bring benefits for all.’
Wesgro stated that the partnership was formed during a B2B matchmaking event where a Chinese company expressed a strong interest in importing chicken feet.
Also read:
SA chicken feet or “walkie-talkies” is flying off African retailer shelves
Picture: Hayley Ryczek/Unsplash