Podlakša, 2 October 2025 - Extensive grassy areas where the hens can move freely are complemented by conservatories and shelters that protect them from inclement weather. This is what the second free-range hen farm opened by the Slovak agricultural group SANAGRO in Podlaksha in the Hlohovec region looks like.
The new farm covers an area of 15 hectares. It is home to 37 thousand laying hens, which produce around 34 thousand free-range eggs a day, or a total of 12 million eggs a year. This is the second SANAGRO farm of this type in Slovakia.
"Our ambition is to bring Slovaks quality home-grown food and to raise animals in humane conditions. The new farm in Podlaksha is the result of the success of our first free-range hen farm in Horne Suroviny in Záhorie, which we opened in 2023. It is proof that there is a growing interest in quality products in Slovakia," says Tomáš Kohút, CEO of SANAGRO.
The largest free-range farm in Europe
The new farm in Podlaksha is a twin to the first farm in Horní Suroviny. They have the same area, number of laying hens and annual egg production. "The annual production of both farms will amount to 24 million free-range eggs, which will be supplied to Slovak retailers, hotels and restaurants under the Pipidu brand," says Tomáš Kohút. SANAGRO will thus become one of the largest producers of free-range eggs in Europe.
The farm in Podlaksha combines the humane breeding of laying hens in nature with modern technologies that ensure their comfort. "Within the enclosure we have a fully digitized breeding hall where the life of the hens takes place - feeding, resting and laying eggs. Thanks to the full digitalisation of the breeding shed, 5 new jobs have also been created," adds Tomáš Kohút. The investment in the new farm amounted to EUR 3.5 million.
Changes in egg sales
"SANAGRO's long-term goal is to change the image of classic cooperatives into modern farms that will contribute to the production of quality home-grown food. We want to bring the best quality eggs to our customers. The laboratory analyses we have commissioned show that free-range eggs have the best added and nutritional values for consumers' health," explained SANAGRO's CEO.
This year has brought new developments in egg sales to consumers. Since January, several domestic and foreign retail chains in the Slovak market have gradually stopped selling cage eggs. Customers are offered only eggs from more humane breeding of laying hens - litter, free-range or organic breeding.
This is in response to European Union legislation that bans cage hen farming across the EU from 2027. In response, a number of retail chains have signed a memorandum to end the sale of cage eggs as early as 2025.
