Mondelez International says it’ll make the transition to using 100% cage-free eggs in the U.S. and Canada by 2020 and in Europe by 2025. The company adds that it’s been working on sustainable sourcing for years, including improving the welfare of egg-laying chickens in its supply chain.
“Meaningful commitments such as these take time, in both planning and implementation, but we’re very pleased to announce this major step forward in our cage-free sourcing,” said Jonathan Horrell, Director of Sustainability.
He says the company wants all eggs to be produced cage-free elsewhere in the world where it has operations, and is working to establish timelines for that to happen “when we have evidence that commercially viable supplies are available,” Horrell said.
Mondelez already uses 100% cage-free eggs in all its European chocolate brands and in its biscuit products sold in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Over in restaurant land, Denny’s announced today that it’ll be only serving cage-free eggs in all U.S. locations by 2026, noting that it cooks more than 400 million eggs each year.
Though other chains have come before it (Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Panera Bread), the company says it’s the “first within the family dining segment to commit to 100% cage-free eggs.”
“We believe our guests care about how their food is sourced and so do we. For more than 60 years, we have listened to our guests to understand what they care about the most, without sacrificing on quality, taste or value,” said John Miller, Denny’s president and chief executive officer. “The humane treatment of animals remains an important part of our brand’s sourcing strategy, and our commitment to this transition underscores our confidence in the ethical evolution of supplier capabilities.”
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist