Business news

‘A unique, poultry-based snack’. Exploring Vitebsk delicacy sampled by Lukashenko

The First National Trading House opened in Minsk in December 2023. Aleksandr Lukashenko visited the shopping center then. The president toured the company stores and even sampled some products, including chickenos dry-cured sausages. “While kabanos sticks are made from pork, our Chickenos are a unique, poultry-based version. This product has won over many hearts. We make everything with love. This is our motto.” Well, let's take a look. In a new episode of BelTA's YouTube project “After the Fact: Special Report” we will show and tell how these healthy snacks are made.

How is chicken meat produced?

Temperature, humidity, feed... The health of the poultry depends on a whole set of conditions.  We are brought up to speed by Svetlana Berfold, chief poultry veterinarian at Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Factory.

“Poultry farming begins at the breeding facility for young birds. At every stage, from rearing young poultry to raising broiler chickens, epizootic safety is strictly monitored by the veterinary service,” Svetlana Bervold said.

The poultry slaughter and deep processing facility was commissioned at the factory in 2022. According to employees, it’s the most advanced facility of its kind in Belarus. All processes are automated, from the arrival of birds for slaughter to the dispatch of finished products to the warehouse or other divisions of the factory. “The shop operates in two seven-hour shifts, with a capacity of 9,000 head per hour. Everything begins here, with obtaining the top-quality raw materials,” said Nikolai Mitroshkin, head of the slaughter and deep processing shop.

The carcasses are air-chilled for 165 minutes before moving to the cutting stage. The temperature at any measurement point must not exceed 4°C, a parameter checked every half hour by a process engineer.

Furthermore, temperatures in all production areas are maintained at or below 4°C throughout processing to ensure the cold chain remains unbroken. “Air-cooling cabinet systems are not just a process. They are a key investment in the quality of all the meat products our enterprise produces. We use a premium technology that preserves the original meat juices and flavor. The meat has a dense, elastic texture, which is very important for the subsequent mincing and formation of the filling for Chickenos dry sausages,” Lolita Zimyakina, lead process engineer of the Technology Department, said.

Product quality is also checked by a specialized system like this one. It examines the product with machine vision and feeds the data into a computer. The machine also divides the fillet into equal portions. And a robot places them on a tray. Any weight can be set. Then the tray goes for packaging. One package of Chickenos sausages weighs 80g. And 195g of fillet is required to make this product.

“To develop successfully, we are seeking various solutions to increase our competitiveness, including by reducing production costs, via new technologies, production automation, and increased labor productivity,” Olga Popova, chief meat process engineer, head of the Technology Department, said.

What is Chickenos?

This high-speed technological process allows for the production of up to 70 tonnes of fillet per day. High-quality chicken fillet is the key to the distinctive taste of the Chickenos dry sausages. A large team worked to develop the recipe. The engineering and mechanical service ensured the technical readiness of the production line. In fact, the chief engineer of the meat-processing division was honored for his efforts in improving the technological process.

“The sausages are made exclusively from chilled fillets of broiler chickens raised on our own farms. The frozen pork backfat also undergoes all necessary inspections before entering production. To produce casing-free dry-cured sausages, it is crucial to achieve the right consistency and texture of the mince. Our technologists drew on their many years of expertise to create a perfect structure and consistent flavor,” said Yelena Tetereva, Head of Finished Products Department.

The shaped sausages are then rested and dried in a climate chamber for one to three days. According to Deputy Head of the Technology Department Lyudmila Chuzhkova, here, in a carefully calibrated and controlled microclimate, the magic of maturation and drying takes place.

Both raw materials and finished products undergo laboratory testing. The lab has three departments: physical and chemical analysis, microbiology, and radiation control. “The laboratory of the enterprise is accredited by the National Accreditation System of the Republic of Belarus. We implement multistage quality control for raw materials and finished products, as well as sanitary monitoring of the entire production site. This allows the company to keep pace with the times,” head of the laboratory Nadezhda Tishko said.

The laboratory is also accredited for organoleptic assessment. There is a dedicated sensory analysis department, where specialists taste the products on an empty stomach, without perfumes or makeup. It was in these very booths that our Chickenos dry sausages were approved. These were two varieties: classic tender and spicy. Since then, this high-protein snack for people with active lifestyle has won over many customers.

“The refreshed Chickenos include more than little sausages now. They also include chips, jerky, and small sausages. Chips are thin slices of select fillet. Jerky is pieces of raw-dried small fillet,” Ksenia Badulina, Head of the Marketing and Advertising Department at OAO Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Factory, presented the new products.

Why are Chickenos beneficial?

This product is rich in protein, which is essential for muscle recovery and growth. It helps you feel full for longer, which helps control your appetite and maintain your figure. Just what you need when traveling, on business trips, or when deadlines keep you away from the table. That’s why the enterprise has decided to expand the lineup of protein snacks. A new product has been added to the Chickenos line: Beefenos. These are beef chips sold under the Ganna brand.

At present Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Factory is a large agribusiness company with a broad range of products made not only from poultry meat, but also from beef. Products made of pure ingredients without added preservatives and artificial ingredients are becoming increasingly popular. These are important trends in modern cuisine. And Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Factory sets the trend!