Felix Tan
Monash University
Gitanjali Bedi
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Caravan Eggs is a family business owned by the Warner family located in Dundonnell, Victoria that produces “true” free-range eggs. This innovation started in 2015 where Jillian Warner and her family are trying to produce eggs in a more sustainable way. Warner family helps and supports the innovation to happen by giving recommendations and discussions. The family has a purpose of that in the future there will be more sustainable farming systems creators such as the chicken’s manure become the natural fertilizer which also keeps the weed down.
Caravan Eggs only allow 90 hens per hectare to ensure that they have unrestricted access to roam around their house called “the chicken caravan”. Inside the sustainable houses, they are able to collect water from the roof and fully automated with solar panels. The mobile houses are also able to move themselves every three days keeping them fresh. They are free to do any activity while also eliminating the use of fertilizer by using their litter as an organic fertilizer and considered as the cheapest and most environmentally safe method of disposing of the poultry industry (Kyakuwaire et al., 2019).
The Warner family was inspired by some people who had done the idea previously and through some articles. Members of the family are supported by giving some different ideas of certain things that they can improve. The motivation of doing the innovation was simply to create a high-quality product where the chicken is not caged and able to do their activity in their natural habitat. Based on research conducted by Kühn (2014), free-range eggs are proved to have higher consistency of vitamin D. Caravan Eggs are also trying to inspire other producers in promoting ethical ways of farming.
This innovation has some positive impacts on its own business where it may boost the profit line of the company. Besides having intensive work and way of farming, the sustainability of the business is also important as the main goal is allowing all family members to run enterprises. From the perspective of the society, Caravan Eggs also give back to the community where they provide certain amounts of the product to businesses that provide people who can’t afford to buy food. By reusing the chicken litter to be manure, also lessening the use of chemical fertilizer and reducing the land pollution. In the short-term, they are aiming to create a sustainable product where they feel good in operating the business and creating demand for free-range products in long run. The business grows since the very first founded in 2015 where there are more than 30 stores and cafes that are using the product in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
For being the “true” free-range producer, Caravan Eggs have gained trust from consumers. As a matter of fact, the company is supplying the product to several cafes and stores across regional Victoria and Melbourne. The image of the “true” free-range eggs emerges from this concept where the eggs are truly free where there is only around 90 hen per hectare. By investing in a huge area of farming, the hens are able to graze in fertile volcanic soil comfortably guarded by four Maremma dogs that bond well with the chickens and humans. High-quality products of poultry may result in higher profitability especially in the future where people are aware of what they eat and try to provide themselves the best quality possible. The free to roam eggs product contains ¼ less saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A, 1/3 less cholesterol, 2 times more omega 3, 7 times more beta-carotene, 3 times more vitamin E which are comparably better than caged eggs.
In the social sector, Caravan Eggs make sure that they have a certain amount of their production towards businesses that provide food to people in need while also providing sustainable and premium products for consumers to enjoy. From the environmental side, they are able to use chicken litter as fertilizer which is a cheaper and more efficient way of disposing of poultry residual.
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Jillian Warner, Owner
Caravan Eggs is a business that is adopting a new innovative way of farming known as true free-range. This innovation is aiming other farm producers to produce in an ethical way of farming where the chickens are free to roam around their houses and do their activity naturally. This innovation also leads to greater demand for eggs as a result of the premium quality of eggs.