Astral Foods has posted a robust performance for its 2025 financial year, bouncing back from a softer first half to deliver a far stronger second-half showing.

The group remains South Africa’s largest integrated poultry producer, managing around 37 million birds on farms at any point and supplying roughly 5.2 million broilers per week to its processing operations. Its poultry and feed businesses supply well-known brands including Goldi, County Fair, and Mountain Valley.

The first six months of the year were marked by weaker selling prices and elevated input costs. However, results released on Monday, 17 November 2025, show that the company successfully turned the picture around in the latter half of the year.

Group revenue increased by 10.4% to R22.6 billion, with the poultry division accounting for 82.5% of total turnover. Astral credited the improvement to higher slaughter volumes and stronger broiler sales, as well as a recovery in selling prices after a period of deflation earlier in the year.

Its feed business also contributed to the uplift, growing volumes to external customers while internal demand rose in line with expanded poultry production.

Operating profit climbed 10.9% to R1.25 billion. When excluding the once-off insurance proceeds recorded in the 2024 financial year, operating profit improved by 42.8%.
Astral reported a profit of R876.39 million — a 16.4% increase — with earnings per share rising to 2,276 cents.

The company said disciplined cost management and higher production volumes helped reduce overhead costs per unit. Cost of sales grew by 9.8% to R18.65 billion, rising more slowly than revenue.

Astral also prioritised strengthening its balance sheet, allowing it to end the year with cash reserves exceeding R1 billion. Capital investment accelerated as well, with capex rising 20.9% to R336 million.

Supported by the strong financial performance, the board declared a final dividend of 880 cents per share.

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