History

Birds of a feather…

It all began in 1982 with Avicola Buzău, the Cocorico farm grounds in Buzău, which sits at the foothills of Romania’s Carpathian mountain range and forms a portion of the fertile Romanian Plain. The plains are considered the breadbasket of the country, where forests abound and are etched with thousands of lakes, rivers and streams.
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With all of the region’s wild scenery, Cocorico’s founders saw the incremental shift away from land and people becoming separated from traditional food production. There was a dire need for trusted food producers who could reconcile the best of traditional farming with industrial food rearing. Over 25 years later, Cocorico has become one of the most respected brands chosen by millions of people in Romania and the rest of Europe.

The Cocorico brand is nested across several divisions

Feed production factories

Broiler farming (reproduction & breeding)

1 day chicken production (hatchery)

Slaughterhouse

Chicken specialties factories

Distribution

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The history of AAylex One begins with Avicola Buzău and the year 1982

A look back at
our timeline

  • 1982

    The history of AAylex One begins with Avicola Buzău and the year 1982, when the business was first established. This was the start of a company that aimed to become a quality purveyor of natural chicken in Romania and worldwide.

  • 1996

    Avicola Buzău lists on the Romanian OTC stock exchange.

  • 1998

    AAylex Trading, a Romanian corporation specialized in the marketing, sales and distribution of poultry products, acquires a controlling stake in the company and assembles into a corporate conglomerate still in existence today.

  • 2000

    Cocorico becomes a registered brand of the AAylex Group, staking its promise of ensuring fresh and natural poultry, premium quality, ethical production standards and social responsibility.

  • 2007

    Avicola Buzău’s Quality Management and Food Safety System is implemented in line with HACCP and EU bio-security standards.

  • 2011

    AAylex Group establishes AAylex Prod, one of the largest modern meat processing plants in Europe with poultry exports to over ten countries and millions of consumers globally.

    The company introduced the first BIOGAS unit in the poultry industry in Southeast Europe.

  • 2012

    The Cocorico brand acquires a new visual identity as a registered trademark of AAylex Group.

  • 2015

    AAylex Group is awarded numerous product certifications for its Cocorico product range (e.g. ISO 9001), demonstrating commitment to quality, biosecurity and hygiene.

  • 2016

    AAylex Agro Cooperativa Agricolă, the most modern chicken feed production plant was founded.  To ensure environmental protection, special biogas units, waste disposal systems, sewage treatment plants, sanitation filters and solar panels are set up. In 2016, Avicola Buzău withdraws from the stock market and maintains its 100% Romanian shareholding.

  • 2019

    Cocorico launches a new and fresh brand image, created in partnership with Pentagram London, the largest independent branding agency in the world.

  • 2020

    Cocorico, The All-Natural Chicken brand launches its rebranding and new innovatiove products – portion packs.

  • 2021

    Acquisition of Banvit, part of the Brazilian group BRF - the third largest poultry producer in the world. The value of the transaction  was EUR 20.3 mil.

    Launch of “CLEAN LABEL” specialties factories, premium quality chicken products in Buzau and Calarasi.

    AAylex One is born, through the merger of the 16 companies, ensuring the integration and consolidation of the entire chain, from farm to fork.

  • 2022

    The implementation of the "Green and innovative sustainable evolution in the food industry“ project begins at 4 farms and at Sahateni Feed Plant, funded with the support of grants from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through EEA and Norway Grants in Romania 2014-2021, within the "SME Development Programme in Romania" (996.75 kwp).

    Romanian Brand of the Year, at the "Top Companies" Gala, award by CCIB.

    The Cocopastrami range, selected and nominated as innovative product, by Sial Paris Innovation Committee.

  • 2023

    Awarded with the International Diamond Prize trophy for Excellence in Quality in the Gold Category, Brussels.

    Special trophy – The National Top of Companies, Bucharest, CCIB.