DUBLIN, Ohio — Wendy's International Inc. has strengthened its animal welfare guidelines by giving preferential buying to its pork and chicken suppliers who improve systems for humane animal welfare.
A recent trend in the pork industry is the elimination of single stalls or crates that house pregnant sows, allowing the hogs to freely move around. Currently, at least 10 percent of Wendy's pork products are from hogs not raised in gestation stalls, according to company representatives.
The goal is to reach 20 percent by the end of 2008. Wendy's is encouraging suppliers to eliminate gestation stalls and will give preferential buying to suppliers adopting these plans. Progress will be monitored through Wendy's ongoing animal welfare reviews.
An emerging technology in the poultry industry is the use of controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) systems. In processing plants using CAS, poultry receive a mixture of gasses that renders them unconscious prior to processing.
CAS systems are used in Europe and by some U.S. suppliers growing turkeys. Wendy's animal welfare experts recently witnessed a CAS system at a turkey plant. Based on these direct observations, Wendy's will give purchasing preference to approved suppliers who actively explore and test CAS systems, as long as product quality and value continue to meet its strict standards.
"We believe these actions will lead our suppliers and others in the pork and chicken industry to continue to identify improved methods of handling animals prior to processing," said Tad Wampfler, Wendy's senior vice president of Supply Chain Management. "These actions continue to demonstrate our long-term commitment to the principles of humane animal treatment."
Another major component of Wendy's animal welfare effort is a certified supplier-feed program that verifies cattle are fed in compliance with FDA regulations.
