‘Chicken King’ Bob Ingham has died, aged 88

Bob Ingham, who helped build Ingham Enterprises into an empire, has died.

The 88-year-old inherited the chicken business with his brother Jack (d. 2003) in the 1950s and the pair built the humble operation into one of the largest poultry businesses in Australia. It was announced earlier this week that Mr Ingham had died at home, surrounded by his family.

The company has operations across Australia and New Zealand and supplies QRS,  retailers, wholesalers and distributors with chicken and turkey products. It was sold by the Ingham family in 2014 to TPG Capital for $880 million.

Mr Ingham was also heavily involved in horseracing and breeding and was a co-founder of Bloodstock, which at its peak was one of the largest thoroughbred breeding and racing operations in Australia. It was sold to Darley Stud, owned by Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makotoum in 2008 a $500 million deal.

Mr Ingham was well known for his philanthropy. Including opening an independent specialist health and research centre in Liverpool, in south-west Sydney. The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, opened in 2012, focusses on cancer and population health research, as well as mental health, rehab and clinical services.

He is survived by his four children and their families, who will hold a private funeral due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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