Baiada Poultry
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Poultry production |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Celestino "Charlie" Baiada |
| Headquarters | Pendle Hill , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Simon Camilleri (CEO, 2024) |
| Products | Poultry products (broiler and breeder farming, hatchery operations, processing, feed milling, protein recovery) |
Number of employees | 2200 (2012) |
Baiada Poultry is an Australian privately held enterprise engaged in nationwide poultry production. Its activities encompass broiler and breeder farming, hatchery operations, processing facilities, feed milling, and protein recovery services. The company's headquarters are located in Pendle Hill, New South Wales, with additional plants situated in Beresfield, Tamworth, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. Around 2,200 employees were part of Baiada's workforce as of 2012. Baiada commands over a 20% share of the Australian poultry processing market, distributing products under the Lilydale Select and Steggles brands through leading retailers such as Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Aldi, as well as foodservice chains including McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Red Rooster, Nando's, and Subway. Its main rival in the sector is the publicly traded company Inghams.
In 2025, Simon Camilleri and his family were ranked 58th among Australia's wealthiest individuals on the Financial Review Rich List based on their net assets. Besides poultry production, the family also holds substantial investments in real estate.
History
The company traces its origins back to its founder Celestino “Charlie” Baiada, a Maltese immigrant who arrived in Australia in 1916 at the age of 14. Beginning his career as a kitchen assistant, he later acquired land in Pendle Hill, western Sydney, where he raised chickens and cultivated a market garden. During World War II, Baiada expanded significantly after securing a government contract to supply chicken products to the Australian Army. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the business extended its customer base to include butchers, clubs, restaurants, and supermarket chains. Baiada Pty Limited was officially established in 1963.
Charlie Baiada and his wife had seven children; one daughter named Mary married Frank Camilleri. Camilleri became involved as a shareholder and took charge of sales and distribution while Baiada concentrated on production operations. As the enterprise expanded, Baiada assumed the role of chairman and Camilleri served as company secretary. Following Baiada’s passing in 1983, leadership transitioned to his grandson John Camilleri who oversaw a period of growth. In 2009, Baiada acquired Bartter Holdings—the owner of the Steggles brand—enhancing their existing Lilydale brand portfolio. Under the current leadership of Simon Camilleri in 2024, the company reported revenues of AUD 3.6 billion alongside a net profit of AUD 246.6 million and distributed AUD 183.8 million to shareholders.
Controversies
The firm has been embroiled in controversies concerning deceptive free-range labeling practices and the mistreatment of migrant laborers.
Misleading free to roam labelling scandal
In September 2011, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) commenced federal court proceedings against Baiada Poultry, Bartter Enterprises, and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation over misleading representations that chickens were "free to roam around in large barns." The ACCC contended that chickens were actually confined indoors at high stocking densities (20 birds per square metre), which drastically restricted their movement.
On 30 October 2013, the Federal Court imposed penalties totaling $400,000 on Baiada Poultry and Bartter Enterprises for engaging in false and misleading conduct under Australian Consumer Law related to "free to roam" claims on Steggles products. Additionally, the Australian Chicken Meat Federation was fined $20,000 for analogous misleading statements presented on its website.
Scandals Involving Exploitation of Foreign Labor
In September 2010, the Australian Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman launched an investigation into Adelaide Poultry, a subsidiary of the Baiada Group, over accusations of worker underpayment. The inquiry revealed breaches of workplace regulations, leading the company to enter into an "Enforceable Undertaking" under the Commonwealth Fair Work Act 2009, thereby resolving the matter without resorting to court proceedings.
On 4 May 2015, the program Four Corners brought to light the exploitation of migrant laborers within Baiada’s manufacturing facilities. Baiada responded by denying any significant compliance failures or exploitation. Nevertheless, the Fair Work Ombudsman confirmed that foreign workers holding 417 class working holiday visas were compensated at roughly half the legal minimum wage, endured shifts lasting up to 18 hours without overtime pay, and lived in overcrowded accommodations. Much of this employment was undeclared and remunerated in cash, with labour hire agencies providing insufficient or falsified documentation. During the probe, 23 out of 39 contractors acknowledged financial difficulties, and four of six main contractors had ceased operations. Baiada denied Fair Work Commission inspectors entry to its New South Wales facilities located in Beresfield, Hanwood, and Tamworth.
Despite pledges to reform its practices, Baiada continued to face criticism from various quarters including the Uniting Church. Signed declarations from workers revealed that dubious practices remained at certain plants and that some associations with disreputable labour hire companies persisted, some using fraudulent addresses.
On 26 October 2015, Baiada entered into a compliance partnership with the Fair Work Ombudsman aimed at rectifying past underpayments by contractors and ensuring adherence to workplace laws moving forward. The company acknowledged its moral and ethical obligation to reimburse up to $500,000 in wages that contractors had failed to pay employees, despite not being their direct employer.