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Wendy's announces timeline for sourcing cage-free eggs

The Wendy's Company announced that it will transition to 100-percent cage-free eggs in its U.S. and Canadian locations by 2020.

January 4, 2016

The Wendy's Company announced that it will transition to 100-percent cage-free eggs in its U.S. and Canadian locations by 2020. The announcement is the next step in Wendy's animal-welfare program. Since the late 1990s, Wendy's has worked with animal-welfare experts to audit its suppliers' animal handling practices, according to a company press release. In 2001, Wendy's established its Animal Welfare Council and adopted an animal-welfare program covering all meat suppliers. Wendy's has also committed to eliminating the use of gestation stalls from its pork supply chain by 2022.

"Animal welfare is a core part of our company's role as a responsible corporate citizen," said Liliana Esposito, Wendy's chief communications officer. "We're proud of our commitment to move to 100 percent cage-free eggs for our breakfast items and will continue to incorporate evolving best practices in the areas of animal handling and welfare into our supply chain requirements."

Josh Balk, Humane Society of the United States Senior Food Policy director, said, "We appreciate Wendy's leadership over the years in creating a more humane supply chain. The company's cage-free eggs announcement further demonstrates its commitment to ensure farm animals have better lives."

The commitment to 100-percent cage-free egg purchasing affects the more than 400 Wendy's locations in the U.S. and Canada that serve breakfast.