By the early 2000s, the Joyce family had already helped shape the market for all-natural chicken, offering one of the first antibiotic-free chicken options in the United States. Driven to create something even more distinctive, they set out in search of the best-tasting chicken in the world.
That search led them to France’s renowned Label Rouge program, a government-supported initiative created to preserve heritage-breed poulets fermiers through rigorous standards for quality and flavor. From this program, the Joyce family selected the cou nu breed, known for its featherless neck, tall stature, and lean breast.
In 2003, Ron Joyce brought those genetics to the United States and coined the name Poulet Rouge Fermier® for this new bird. The result was America’s first authentic genetic line from the Label Rouge tradition, raised to similar standards and built around the flavor, texture, and eating quality that continue to define Poulet Rouge® today.