Baiada Poultry

Baiada Poultry is a privately owned Australian poultry company based at Pendle Hill in western Sydney. It operates across much of the poultry supply chain, including broiler and breeder farms, hatcheries, feedmilling, processing facilities and protein recovery. Its production and processing footprint has included New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. The company supplies poultry products through supermarkets, food-service operators and quick-service restaurant customers. The business traces its origins to Celestino “Charlie” Baiada, a Maltese migrant who arrived in Australia in 1916 at the age of 14. After initially working as a kitchen hand, he acquired a property at Pendle Hill and began raising chickens alongside market-gardening activities. During the Second World War, his sole-trader operation obtained an Australian Government contract to supply chicken products to the Australian Army. That contract helped accelerate the scale and commercial development of the business. Baiada Pty Limited was established in 1963. During the 1960s and 1970s, the company expanded from supplying butchers and restaurants to serving clubs and supermarket chains. Production was associated with Charlie Baiada, while his son-in-law Frank Camilleri became involved in sales, distribution and corporate administration. Later generations of the Camilleri family continued to lead the privately held enterprise. Charlie Baiada died in 1983. A major transformation occurred in 2009, when Baiada acquired Bartter Holdings. The transaction brought the Steggles poultry business into the group and strengthened Baiada’s national processing and branded-products platform. Baiada subsequently operated the Steggles and Lilydale Select brands, among others, and became one of Australia’s largest poultry processors. Reference material describes the company as having more than 20 percent of the Australian poultry-processing market at the time discussed, with customers and channels including Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Aldi, McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Red Rooster, Nando’s and Subway. Baiada’s competitive position rests on vertical integration and national distribution rather than on a single retail product. Its operations connect animal production, breeding, feed, processing and recovery, allowing the company to supply fresh and value-added chicken products at scale. Its principal named competitor is Inghams, a publicly listed Australian poultry company. The company has also faced significant regulatory and reputational controversy. In 2013, the Federal Court found Baiada and Bartter Enterprises had engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct concerning representations that chickens used in Steggles products were “free to roam in large barns.” The companies were ordered to pay civil penalties totalling $400,000. Baiada-related operations were also examined by the Fair Work Ombudsman over alleged underpayment and labour practices involving migrant workers. In 2015, Baiada entered a compliance partnership and agreed to take responsibility for up to $500,000 in wages that contractors had failed to pay. Baiada remains a private family-controlled poultry group. In 2025, Simon Camilleri and his family appeared in the Australian Financial Review Rich List, reflecting the family’s ownership interests and property investments. Reported 2024 revenue and profit figures appear in reference material, but they are omitted here because a directly attributable source URL and sufficiently precise financial context were not supplied.

Baiada Poultry developed from a small poultry and market-gardening enterprise established by Celestino “Charlie” Baiada, a Maltese migrant who settled in Australia after arriving in 1916. Baiada acquired a house and land at Pendle Hill in western Sydney, where he raised chickens and cultivated produce. During the Second World War, he secured a government contract to supply chicken products to the Australian Army. The contract contributed to the expansion of the business beyond a local farming operation. The company was incorporated as Baiada Pty Limited in 1963. Over the following two decades it broadened its customer base from butchers and local food businesses to clubs, restaurants and supermarket chains. Charlie Baiada concentrated on production, while his son-in-law Frank Camilleri became involved in sales and distribution and later served as company secretary. As the family enterprise grew, Baiada became chair. His death in 1983 marked a generational transition, after which grandson John Camilleri took a leading role during a further period of expansion. Baiada’s business model progressively became more vertically integrated. Rather than limiting itself to processing purchased birds, the group developed activities across breeder and broiler farming, hatcheries, feed production, processing and protein recovery. This structure supported national supply and enabled the company to serve both branded retail products and large food-service customers. In 2009, Baiada acquired Bartter Holdings. Bartter operated the Steggles brand, and the acquisition materially expanded Baiada’s national poultry platform. The group then marketed Steggles and Lilydale Select products through major Australian supermarkets and supplied restaurant, quick-service and institutional channels. Its facilities and operations extended across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. Reference material identifies Inghams as its major listed competitor and describes Baiada as holding more than one-fifth of the Australian poultry-processing market at the relevant time. The group’s growth was accompanied by scrutiny of product marketing and employment practices. In 2011, the ACCC brought proceedings concerning claims that chickens used in certain products were able to “free to roam in large barns.” In 2013, the Federal Court found Baiada and Bartter had contravened consumer-protection provisions through misleading or deceptive conduct and ordered combined civil penalties of $400,000. Employment practices involving migrant workers became another major controversy. The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated Baiada-related operations after allegations of underpayment. In 2015, the Four Corners program publicized allegations involving low wages, excessive working hours, poor accommodation and labour-hire arrangements. The Fair Work Ombudsman subsequently reported findings concerning underpayment of workers on temporary visas and inadequate contractor records. Baiada later entered a compliance partnership and accepted responsibility for addressing up to $500,000 in unpaid wages owed by contractors. Baiada continues to operate as a privately owned, family-controlled Australian poultry group. Simon Camilleri is identified in reference material as the current family business leader. The Camilleri family’s appearance in the 2025 Financial Review Rich List highlighted the scale of the family’s interests, including property holdings as well as poultry operations.

• 2025

  Camilleri family enters the Financial Review Rich List

  [1]Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org

  Simon Camilleri and family appear on the list for the first time, with wealth attributed to poultry ownership and property investments.

• 2015

  Workplace compliance partnership

  [1]Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org

  Baiada agrees with the Fair Work Ombudsman to a partnership addressing contractor underpayments and future compliance.

• 2013

  Federal Court ruling on free-to-roam claims

  [1]Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org

  The Federal Court finds Baiada and Bartter engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct over product descriptions and orders combined penalties of $400,000.

• 2009

  Acquisition of Bartter Holdings

  [1]Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org

  Baiada acquires Bartter Holdings and adds the Steggles business to its poultry portfolio.

• 1963

  Baiada Pty Limited established

  [1]Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org

  The family business is formally established as Baiada Pty Limited.

• 1916

  Celestino Baiada arrives in Australia

  [1]Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org

  The future founder arrives from Malta at age 14 and later establishes his poultry and market-gardening activities in Pendle Hill.

• Second World War supply contract

  [1]Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org

  Baiada secures an Australian Government contract to supply chicken products to the Australian Army, supporting significant business expansion.

A vertically integrated, family-owned Australian poultry producer serving retail, food service and quick-service restaurant channels.

• Branded poultry

  Steggles

  Steggles is Baiada’s major branded poultry business, acquired through the 2009 purchase of Bartter Holdings. Products under the brand have been sold through Australian supermarkets and supplied to food-service and quick-service restaurant customers.

• Branded poultry

  Lilydale Select

  Lilydale Select is a Baiada poultry brand distributed through Australian retail channels. It forms part of the group’s branded portfolio alongside Steggles and supports the company’s strategy of serving consumers through supermarket and food-service markets.

• Poultry products

  Fresh and processed chicken

  Baiada produces fresh and processed chicken products through an integrated network involving farms, hatcheries, feedmilling and processing plants. The range is supplied to major retailers, restaurants, quick-service chains and other food-service customers.

• 2015

  Migrant-worker underpayment and labour-hire controversy

  Investigations and media reporting raised allegations involving underpayment, excessive hours, inadequate accommodation and deficient labour-hire records. The Fair Work Ombudsman reported findings concerning workers on temporary visas, and Baiada later agreed to a compliance partnership and responsibility for up to $500,000 in contractor wage shortfalls.

  Source

• 2013

  Misleading free-to-roam labelling case

  The Federal Court found Baiada Poultry and Bartter Enterprises had made misleading or deceptive representations that chickens used in Steggles products were able to roam freely in large barns. The companies received combined civil penalties of $400,000.

  Source

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• 2015

  Enter workplace compliance partnershipStrategy

  Background

  Fair Work investigations and media reporting identified alleged underpayments and deficiencies involving labour-hire contractors.

  Action taken

  Baiada agreed to a compliance partnership and accepted responsibility for addressing up to $500,000 in unpaid contractor wages.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement was intended to remedy historical underpayments and strengthen compliance with workplace laws.

  Source

• 2009

  Acquire Bartter HoldingsM&A

  Background

  Baiada sought to expand its national poultry operations and branded portfolio.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Bartter Holdings, including the Steggles poultry business.

  Aftermath

  The transaction strengthened Baiada’s position in Australian poultry processing and broadened its retail and food-service presence.

  Source

1. 1Baiada Poultryen.wikipedia.org