New Anthoney's Farms has been recognised as a sustainability leader at an international summit in Chicago, while securing investment to expand its antibiotic-free production model across Sri Lanka.
New Anthoney's Farms, a Sri Lankan poultry producer, has been named among global sustainability leaders for its use of certified sustainable sourcing practices. The recognition came at Soy Connext 2026, a conference organised by the US Soybean Export Council in Chicago that attracted over 800 delegates in August. The company was distinguished for adopting Sustainable US Soy certification, becoming the first South Asian firm to secure the licence in 2023 under the US Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol.
The company has built its reputation over four decades on a commitment to raising poultry without antibiotics at any stage of production, a practice it describes as unique to Sri Lanka. This approach underpins both its consumer offering and its investment thesis. In June, the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group, announced plans to invest up to USD 10 million in the company to expand production capacity and strengthen supply chain efficiency.
The investment is expected to generate significant economic benefits. New Anthoney's Farms projects that annual poultry exports will reach approximately 1,936 metric tonnes by 2032, up from 2024 levels, contributing an estimated USD 4.95 million in additional foreign exchange earnings. The expansion is anticipated to create over 900 new jobs and benefit at least 200 smallholder farmers through contract farming schemes, with roughly 22 percent of participants expected to be women and 80 percent from low-income households.
Sri Lanka currently leads global markets for containerised US soybean meal imports, bringing in approximately 255,000 tonnes in 2025 to support a domestic animal feed industry producing close to 1.3 million metric tonnes annually. Sixteen Sri Lankan poultry and feed milling operations now hold the Sustainable US Soy licence. The investment reflects broader efforts to strengthen the poultry sector's value chain, as smallholder farms constitute 85 percent of the sector but supply less than 30 percent of total output.
