Johannesburg , 18 March 2024 : Daybreak Farms’ corporate image had been marred by negative media in the past few years, recently it has started to convey the fixtures and work done to reposition it, strongly signalling to the market its governance renewal journey and the operational overhaul. Daybreak Farms underwent a restructuring process in 2023 led by Richard Manzini. It has announced the new C-suite team to support the continued growth plans of the company’s operations.

Under the leadership of CEO, Richard Manzini, the goal is to embed Daybreak Farms in the sector and amongst its peers as a reliable partner; one that delivers quality chicken and food products to its customers across the country.

Tshepo Yvonne Mosadi, Pierre Rossouw and Ntsikelelo Shorne Figlan have taken on their new positions in the company focusing on strengthening the C-Suite. They are also focused on reshaping Daybreak Farms’ reputation through the delivery of quality products, ethical operations, and positioning the company as an employer of choice. The company’s newly appointed CFO will start on the 1st of April 2024.

Tshepo Yvonne Mosadi, an accomplished professional with a distinguished list of qualifications and over 22 years of transformative experience in strategic HR, leadership, culture, business strategy, and Talent Management, has been appointed as Chief People Officer. As an MBA graduate and a certified Chartered HR professional, an Advisory Board Member for the University of South Africa (Faculty of HR) and a Non-executive board member for the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP), she is dedicated to shaping the future of HR and ensuring Daybreak Farms is an employer of choice.

Pierre Rossouw joins as Chief Operations Officer, where he will undoubtedly propel Daybreak operations to greater heights. Pierre’s professional journey includes milestones such as his tenure with Kohler Packaging and Ladysmith Leathers, where he honed his financial acumen and management skills. His pivotal role at Rainbow Chicken showcased his exceptional leadership abilities. He spearheaded turnaround efforts and drove expansion initiatives across Africa where his contributions have been instrumental in shaping the success of the organisations he has served and will serve Daybreak Farms well.

Ntsikelelo Shorne Figlan has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer. Ntsikelelo initially joined Daybreak Farms as the Executive for Business Strategy and Development, and through his unwavering commitment and diligence, he has ascended to his new key role. As Chief Commercial Officer, Ntsikelelo will assume full accountability for crafting and implementing the company's sales and marketing strategy. This includes leading initiatives to expand the company portfolio in both modern and general trade, with a strategic focus on enhancing profitability through customer engagement and optimising distribution coverage.

At a time where the poultry sector is besieged by a myriad of challenges, including the devastating impacts of Avian Influenza, limited power supply and escalating feed costs, Richard Manzini has managed to implement a successful turnaround at Daybreak Farms.

In the prevailing operating environment, the company requires the expertise of a well-rounded strategic leader with a deep understanding of the South African poultry landscape to manage a turnaround and return to profitability with no shareholder support or financing from commercial lenders.

Manzini says, “Despite the challenges the poultry industry faced in 2023, Daybreak Farms is now tracking in accordance to industry margins towards profitability. The fundamental reason is that we made sure to strengthen corporate governance. We took a hard stance and from July 2023, our focus was on getting financial controls in place. We succeeded, and during the Avian Flu Pandemic, we managed our cash much more stringently without access to revolving facility and or support from the shareholder. This lends credence to the fundamental stacking of the business, the cost efficiencies realised and the treasury management. We now, need to weather through the cash mismatch created by Bird flu. The next couple of months will prove to be critical, the recovery is indicative of how we have brought our margins back in line with the norm. We are now clear of the support levels needed to move forward.”