ABOUT US
Inicia is the largest egg production and distribution company in the country, with an annual commercialisation of 85,000,000 eggs.
Founded by Jean-Baptiste Wiehe and Bernard Montocchio in 1978, the company has introduced the first-ever branded Mauritian egg and also grown vertically into related sectors such as chicken, chicks, duck, animal feed production, as well as farming equipment, veterinary, and pet products. Inicia is recognised as a major player in the agro sector in Mauritius.
2018
Inicia obtains the Guinness World RecordsTM Largest Scrambled eggs with a weight of 2.466T at Bagatelle. More than 8,000 portions of scrambled eggs have been distributed to needy families in the Caritas network.
2017
The egg production chain at Inicia is ISO 22000 certified.
Inicia is now the sole shareholder of Volailles & Traditions Ltée.
2015
Inicia, with other partners, launches Volailles & Traditions Ltée, which commercialises the Label 60 brand.
2009
Ceres launches egg printing for all its edible eggs. Launches a microbiological internal and serological laboratory for quality control.
2002
Creation of a new department within Ceres to promote pharmaceutical and veterinary products. Ceres obtains HACCP certification for its two egg packing plants.
1993
Ceres Ltd, with other partners invests in the creation of a new feed mill, namely, Meaders Feeds Ltd
1991
Ceres Ltd is incorporated and this is the beginning of the diversification and integration of our operations. We obtain the franchise for world-renowned brands: – Hy-Line (USA) for layer chicks – Cobb (USA) for broiler chicks
JEAN BAPTISTE WIEHE
Director & Founder
BERNARD MONTOCCHIO
Director & Founder
EMMANUEL WIEHE
CEO
HEDLEY BALANCY
Finance and Administrative Manager
BRUNO FLORENS
Marketing Manager
As part of its food safety policy, Inicia Ltée is committed to consistently provide quality and food safe products in order to meet customers' requirements while abiding to prevailing regulatory and statutory requirements and striving for continuous improvement.
The company has established various policies and internal controls to maintain safety and hygiene level at workplace. Staffs at all level are trained to abide to a series of internal good practices in food safety, health & safety and biosecurity.
Besides the poultry farming activities, Inicia Ltée operates two egg packing stations and one processing plant for liquid pasteurised egg production. Their respective system is certified under ISO 22000 since 2017.
Inicia Ltée carries out constant monitoring via its in-house laboratory and quality system from farm to end products, ensuring that quality and food safety standards are maintained continuously.
The quality monitoring measures encompass the following activities
Good farming practices to ensure strict biosecurity measures on farms:
- Vaccination against Salmonella of all layers
- No use of antibiotics
- Hatchery and farm inspections
- Serological analysis of flocks from day-old chicks till adult birds to monitor health status of birds
Good hygienic practices to ensure food safety at different level
- Food safety audits by quality experts namely SGS
- Use of food approved chemicals for food contact surfaces in packing houses
- Use of food grade, recycled and disposable primary packaging (R-PETS and pulp trays)
- Egg printing for traceability – House number and best before date printed on eggs shell and packaging
- Performance evaluation of all relevant staff via regular briefing, training & evaluation
- Supplier monitoring and evaluation system
- Customer feedback and complaint handling system
- Microbiological analysis on raw materials, end products, environment by internal and external laboratories
System continuous improvement by working, in parallel, with veterinary and quality experts