Organic Egg Producer Adopts German Technology for In-Ovo Sex Determination – A First for the Southern Hemisphere
São Paulo, Brazil, July 28, 2025 – A major step forward for animal welfare in the egg industry: for the first time in Brazil, the Cheggy machine has been installed and is operating successfully, identifying the sex of chicks while still in the egg. This breakthrough provides a new way to manage male chicks that are not used in egg production. With its first application in Latin America, the innovative in-ovo sexing technology from German company Agri Advanced Technologies GmbH (AAT) – a subsidiary of the EW GROUP – has reached another international milestone.
"With our launch in Brazil, we’re expanding the range of available solutions for sustainable and humane egg production," says Jörg Hurlin, Managing Director of AAT. "In-ovo sexing allows for early selection in the hatchery and offers a scalable, efficient approach – making it particularly suitable for large markets like South America."
Raiar Orgânicos, a company founded in 2020, is the pioneer and first customer to implement the Cheggy system in Brazil. The organic egg producer actively integrates innovative technologies across the entire value chain. With the goal of making organic food accessible to a broad population, Raiar pursues a holistic approach that combines animal welfare, support for regional agriculture, and technological innovation.
“Raiar is a restless company committed to the highest standards of transparency, management, and animal welfare. That’s why we actively seek out the best market practices and solutions to continuously improve animal welfare in egg production,” says Marcus Menoita, CEO and co-founder of Raiar. “The in-ovo sexing technology provided by Cheggy is the most effective, non-invasive, and viable solution available.”
Cheggy is a state-of-the-art method that sets a new standard in modern egg production through its high precision and impressive speed. The technology identifies whether a male or female chick is developing in the egg during incubation – completely contact-free, fast, and without opening the egg. Using hyperspectral imaging, the system captures light spectra that allow an algorithm to detect differences in feather coloration between male and female embryos of brown layer breeds.
A January 2025 consumer survey by Innovate Animal Ag revealed that public awareness in Brazil is growing and customers appreciate the development of alternatives.
“Raiar Orgânicos is setting an inspiring example of what forward-thinking leadership looks like in animal agriculture. As in-ovo sexing becomes a global trend, we’re excited to see companies like Raiar not only embrace the change but help drive it. With technologies like Cheggy now available in Brazil, this milestone should serve as a powerful catalyst for more producers across the country.” said Robert Yaman, Managing Director of Innovate Animal Ag.
On Monday, July 28, 2025, numerous national and international media representatives attended an event in São Paulo, hosted by Raiar and AAT, to officially announce the first commercial use of in-ovo sexing in Brazil. AAT presented the Cheggy technology, and Raiar announced that it would convert its entire flock to 100% in-ovo selected chicks.
This marks another milestone in AAT’s global expansion. Following successful market entries in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States, Brazil is now the first country in the Southern Hemisphere to adopt the Cheggy technology.
About Agri Advanced Technologies GmbH (AAT):
Agri Advanced Technologies GmbH (AAT), based in Visbek, Germany, specializes in the development of application-specific technologies for poultry breeding and management. These include in-ovo sexing machines, sorting and vaccination systems for broiler production, and egg disinfection solutions. As part of a global network, AAT works closely with stakeholders across the value chain and in research. The company regularly collaborates with external institutions such as universities, research organizations, agricultural associations, producers, and trading companies. AAT is a pioneer and market leader in in-ovo sex determination in Europe, with applications in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Since 2024, AAT has also operated two high-capacity Cheggy machines in Texas and Iowa in the USA, and with the new installation in Brazil, it is now able to meet customer demand in South America as well.
Further information is available at www.cheggy.com. For interview requests or further questions, Johanna Werneke will be happy to assist you (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Media Contact: Johanna Werneke
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