Poultry supplier KSB Distribution invests about 3 to 5 per cent of its revenue almost every year to upgrade its technology and machinery as part of efforts to stay at the cutting edge.

The company has also been innovating and expanding its range of offerings over the years, in order to keep ahead.

"People see this as a sunset industry," said director Steven Tan.

"But we invest to increase productivity, improve food safety and help with the manpower crunch. It's worth it in the long term."

The company has expanded its range of products over the years beyond just supplying whole chickens. It also produces chopped chicken parts, ready-to- cook products, and ready-to-eat cooked chicken and sausages.

"We hope that out of 10 dishes on your dining table, at least six will come from our company," Mr Tan added.

The company's sprawling compound in Senoko Way houses its three arms: supplier KSB Distribution, chicken slaughterhouse Soonly Food Processing Industries and Safa Gourmet Food, which turns meat products into ready-to-cook food by marinating chicken, beef and lamb.

The company's 8,640 sq m chicken-processing facility has been deploying two shifts daily in the run-up to the Chinese New Year festivities, processing 80,000 to 100,000 chickens per day, up from the usual 40,000. The chickens are imported from farms in Malaysia.

It supplies its products to more than 450 locations across the island, including supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and fast-food chains.