In memory of Jim Hunnable

 Jim Hunnable, born in May 1947 in Braintree (Essex), started his career in the poultry business at the age of 15 in 1962 as a trainee at Cobb in the UK and worked his way up from being a Broiler Breeder Fieldsman, Area Service Manager, Technical Service Manager and General Manager to MD of Cobb Breeding Company Limited.

After the closure of Cobb’s European operation in 2001, Jim was appointed as non-executive director at Poultry First and Q-International and remained a non-executive director with LA Systems.

In 2003 he joined Hubbard to support them to further develop their business in the UK, Ireland and in overseas markets like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Over the years Jim has been a member of several committees in the UK, including EPIC, and played an active role in the sponsorship of the Nuffield Scholarship. He had an unbelievable large network in the industry in the UK and the rest of the world through which Jim has been able to bring people together and help them in their business. Jim has been a mentor to many people who currently are in key positions in the industry and has motivated a lot of young people to join the business. He has always been a highly respected person who never gave up and even after nearly 60 years of service to the broiler industry Jim was still enormously committed to the poultry industry in the UK & Ireland and other countries abroad.

In addition to the chicken industry, Jim had another great passion. He was very proud of his small collection of old cars and loved going to car rallies all over the country.

In 2006, Positive Action Publications and VIV Europe presented Jim with the “European Poultry Breeder of the Year” award acknowledging his more than 40 years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the international poultry industry through his several roles in the international breeding business. In 2017, the UK Poultry Industry awarded Jim with the well-deserved “BPC/ForFarmers Poultry Person of the Year” award.

A few months before he received this award, Jim sadly lost his lovely wife Ruth very unexpectedly. She was his best friend who fully supported him all his (working) life through both good and bad times. Since then, he missed her very much every day.

Jim was in great form when he attended the National Egg & Poultry Awards in London on Tuesday October 19^th. Being a real people person, Jim was extremely pleased to finally meet the people in the poultry industry in real life after such a long period of COVID lockdown.

On Friday October 22, Jim passed away completely unexpectedly at his home in Braintree.

He will be remembered as a dear friend by all who have come across Jim.

We send our condolences to his daughters Suzie and Victoria, his son Stuart and their families including his grandchildren and to the rest of his family. We hope the respect and affection many people had for Jim will give them support for their huge loss. Jim really was a great family man and very proud of them all.

May he rest in peace and finally be able to raise a glass of white wine again with his beloved Ruth.

The Hubbard team