Wendy’s and McDonald’s, two of the largest quick-service chains, said they would either purchase or explore sourcing cage-free eggs, as animal welfare, the environment and food quality and safety become more forceful trends in foodservice.
The Humane Society of the United States praised Wendy’s decision to purchase some of its eggs from cage-free sources, and separately, McDonald’s said it would participate in a major study of housing alternatives for egg-laying hens.
The Humane Society said Friday that Wendy’s announcement that cage-free eggs would make up 2 percent of its egg purchases was “a modest but meaningful step in the right direction.”
“Wendy’s new policy is reducing the number of birds confined in cruel cages, and is sending a clear signal that it’s time for the egg industry to move away from inhumane confinement,” Paul Shapiro, senior director of the Humane Society’s factory farming campaign, said in a statement.
Wendy’s, a chain that totals about 6,600 restaurants worldwide, did not respond to requests for comment by press time. Wendy’s is owned by Atlanta-based Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc.
The Humane Society had previously criticized Wendy’s for not using cage-free eggs.
Separately, McDonald’s Corp. said Thursday it would team up with animal welfare groups, academics and egg suppliers to study housing alternatives for hens, including cage-free setups. McDonald’s said the multiyear study, which will likely involve tens of thousands of hens, would examine the impact of various housing methods on animal well-being, the environment, workers, and the safety and quality of food.
“This is a welcome initiative for egg purchasers like McDonald’s who want to consider all of the sustainability impacts when it comes to buying eggs, not just animal welfare, but environmental, food safety and economic factors,” Dan Gorsky, senior vice president of North American supply chain management for McDonald’s, said in a statement.
He added that McDonald’s intended for eggs produced as part of the study to partially supply its U.S. restaurants by 2011. Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s has about 14,000 restaurants in the United States and more than 32,000 locations worldwide.
The Washington, D.C.-based Humane Society, which is not part of the McDonald’s study, is pushing the restaurant company to adopt a cage-free egg policy. It will urge McDonald’s officials to approve a resolution that would make a switch to cage-free sourcing at the restaurant company’s annual shareholder meeting next week.
Other fast-food chains that purchase part of their eggs from cage-free sources include Burger King, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.
Contact Molly Gise at [email protected].