Pholosho Monnapule – Rainbow Export Manager
South Africa continues to face two pressing challenges: youth unemployment and food security.
While the country’s agricultural sector holds significant opportunity, many young people in rural communities cannot gain entry because the systems that enable participation are uneven.
Rainbow believes poultry uniquely sits at the intersection of solving both these endemic problems.
As the most widely consumed and affordable source of protein, it plays a critical role in feeding the nation, but its importance has the potential to go beyond mere production. There is a hereto untapped opportunity to create sustainable economic participation at scale.
Realising this potential; however, will require a shift in focus.
Growth in poultry cannot be viewed through production alone. It depends on the strength of the full value chain, from input supply and skills development, to efficient production and reliable market access.
Closing this access gap requires deliberate, coordinated action across the value chain, because true potential is only unlocked when everyone gets to participate equally.
That’s why Rainbow’s focus is on strengthening the systems that enable participation.
This includes improving access to key inputs through initiatives such as Rainbow Day Old Chicks, where depots are being established closer to rural farming communities. By reducing the distance between farmers and essential inputs, we are helping to improve planning, reduce cost pressures, and support more efficient production.
Simultaneously, continued investment in skills development and farmer engagement remains critical to building long-term capability within the sector. We believe that sustainable growth is not achieved through celebrating single, isolated successes, instead it is built by enabling many producers to participate and succeed within a connected, equitable system.
In doing so, poultry can continue to play a meaningful role, not only in nourishing the nation, but in building more resilient rural economies, stabilising food security, and allowing young people the opportunity to realise their potential.
Rainbow Chicken, in collaboration with the Mpumalanga Municipality and the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, recently hosted its inaugural annual Farmer’s Day at the Rainbow Chicks Malelane and Tonga Depots in Mpumalanga.
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A team from Rainbow Chicken, including Tarryn Fowler (marketing director), Claire Mundell (technical director), Thashia Achari (research and development technical manager), and Neil Harris (category strategy manager), attended Anuga 2025 in Cologne, one of the world’s largest and most influential food and beverage trade fairs.
Rainbow Chicken, in proud partnership with Boland Rugby Union and Worcester Villagers RFC, has taken to the field with purpose, launching the Rainbow Tjokkers Rugby Development Clinic, a grassroots initiative bringing young players, families, and communities together through the power of sport.
Rainbow Chicken Ltd, South Africa’s second largest poultry producer, is proud to reaffirm its support for the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) by championing the 2025 World Food Day campaign under the global theme: ‘Hand in hand for better foods and a better future’.
Rainbow Chicken Ltd is proud to mark the 20th anniversary of its P1: Added Value Business this month. This division has transformed the way South Africans experience poultry since its inception in 2005.
Veterinary science is often seen as a calling, but for Dr Ivy Meso, it was a dream nurtured from an early age. Growing up in a home filled with pets, she was fascinated by the care veterinarians provided whenever the family dogs needed treatment.
Rainbow Chicken’s latest content series, Gogo vs Gogo, features a series of cook-offs between South African grandmothers, aka Gogos, who showcase their signature chicken recipes and share the stories, traditions, and wisdom passed down through generations.
Rainbow Chicken, the company behind South Africa’s much-loved Simply Chicken and Rainbow brands, is making health the hero of the plate. In recognition of Heart Awareness Month, Rainbow has launched the new Farmer Brown Nourish range – a first-of-its-kind freezer-to-fryer offering proudly endorsed by the Heart & Stroke Foundation of South Africa.
This Mandela Day, Rainbow Chicken brought together its people and purpose to make a meaningful difference in communities across South Africa, honouring Madiba’s legacy through acts of service that nourish more than just stomachs.