2000...2010

In June 2001 the Finnish company HK Ruokatalo and the Federation of Swedish Farmers purchased controlling shares in Tallegg. A holding company, Baltic Poultry, was established for the management of Tallegg. This company owns 97.23% of Tallegg shares. HK Ruokatalo and the Federation of Swedish Farmers each have a 50% share of Baltic Poultry.

Tallegg’s long-serving director Ants Käsper retired in July 2002, and Kalvar Kase stepped into the breach. Greater attention was turned to the Latvian and Lithuanian markets. Active product development took place, leading to a number of awards being won in the “Approved Estonian Taste” and “Weightwatchers’ Favourite” competitions. Investments were made in the recreational facilities of the meat production plant and slaughterhouse and the farms for chickens for fattening were reconstructed.

Major changes were made to Tallegg’s logo and corporate identity in 2003. A new red and white trademark was adopted, and all packaging was redesigned. In the same year HK Ruokatalo’s shareholding in Tallegg grew to 98.3%. 16,272 tonnes of poultry was produced and a record sales turnover of 535 million kroons achieved during the year. Eggs accounted for 15% and exports 40% of turnover. However, expansion began to have a negative effect on cost-effectiveness, as the company’s Latvian and Lithuanian subsidiaries had not yet begun to independently earn a profit.

2004 was a year of sweeping changes for Tallegg. The foundations for these changes were laid by Estonia and the other Baltic States’ accession to the European Union, which led to much fiercer competition on the Baltic market. Cooperation between companies in the HK Ruokatalo group increased markedly. Olle Horm took over the management of both Tallegg and Rakvere Meat Processing Plant. Synergy was found in the distribution of production units and in support functions. Tallegg and Rakvere Meat Processing Plant’s subsidiaries in Latvia and Lithuania merged.

2005 proved to be a difficult year for Tallegg due to an outbreak of salmonella reaching some of its farms through feed. Major investments to overcome the problem and scale back meat production saw the company end the year in the red. Nevertheless, Tallegg did not forfeit its leading position on the Estonian market: consumers continued to favour the company, which allowed it to quickly restore its former sales volumes. Thanks to its cooperation with the Estonian Ski Association, Tallegg saw its classic roasting chicken come to be called ‘Veerpalu roast chicken’ after the country’s most successful male skier.

Under the leadership of Teet Soorm, 2006 was the year that Tallegg returned to profit. The bird flu scare that had affected sales early in the year was forgotten by summer, when sales figures in Estonia broke all records. Targeted action in cooperation with the relevant state agencies led to the elimination of the salmonella problem on the company’s farms. A number of projects which were designed to reduce costs were also launched. For example, the retail sales sub-unit which to that point has belonged to Tallegg was sold off. Reconstruction began on initial production. The biggest investment made during the year was in the opening of a breeding bird farm at Ülgase which operated on the ‘all in, all out’ principle. Tallegg produced 12,128 tonnes of poultry and 78 million eggs during the year, with sales turnover of 500 million kroons.

The company’s turnover continued to grow between 2007 and 2009, reaching a record 688 million kroons last year. Large-scale investments were made throughout the production chain in order to ensure Tallegg’s sustainable development. New breeding bird farms were set up in Koonga and Martna, while the Laabi and Kumna farms for chickens for fattening and the Saha-Loo young breeding bird farm were renovated. Autumn 2009 also saw the opening of a new bunker warehouse at the feed factory. Investments in meat production were made in new packaging machinery, and production of the company’s legendary chicken mincemeat was launched. Production of meat from chickens for fattening reached the record level of 14,500 tonnes in 2009, and consumption also rose rapidly: on average, every person in Estonia ate 22 kg of poultry last year.