George Bostock – Zero Waste with Bostock’s Chicken

George Bostock – Zero Waste with Bostock’s Chicken

Bostock Brothers is based in Hawkes Bay, and is owned by brothers Ben and George Bostock. As New Zealand’s only organic free range chicken farm, the duo are passionate about quality, animal welfare and sustainability. Our next event ‘The Chook, the whole Chook and nothing but the Chook‘, is inspired by Bostock’s ethics and produce. We caught up with George to find out about their compostable packaging and the benefits of a zero waste lifestyle.

Tell us about Bostock Brothers and what you do?
We are passionate about quality, animal welfare and sustainability. Our chickens are free range under an apple orchard, and we grow them with care, without Antibiotics or Hormones, and they are fed only certified organic feed.

What’s your favourite Chicken recipe?
I have so many favourites, but my latest is a breast supreme chicken satay.

Tell us about your home compostable packaging and how it works?
Our new home compostable packaging has been a breakthrough for us and a long time in R&D. The product is made from two layers of packaging, one is from a cellulose made from wood pulp, and the other a cellulose layer from corn starch. It will break down in compost conditions that contains heat, moisture, microbes much faster than conventional plastics.

When cooking chicken – what are the benefits of using the entire chicken including the bones?
There are a lot of goodness in the bones, and some delicious flavours. I love to make stocks out of the chicken bones, even after I have roasted a whole chicken.

What are the benefits of composting meat?
Meat contains a lot of good protein that provides good food for the bacteria in a compost. This is good, because it really helps the entire breakdown process of the compost and a great nutrient compost at the end which is good for spreading over the soils.