Issue Type: Farm Animals

The Lo & Behold Group, a Singaporean hospitality company, is joining Humane Society International to improve animal welfare in its supply chain by committing to sourcing 100 percent cage-free eggs.

The Lo & Behold Group owns and operates restaurants, bars and a boutique hotel in Singapore. Their concepts, including Loof, The White Rabbit, OverEasy, Tanjong Beach Club, The Black Swan and Odette, will use exclusively cage-free eggs by 2020. With this commitment, The Lo & Behold Group will be the first Asian company to join the global cage-free egg movement.

HSI supports companies like The Lo & Behold Group throughout the world in the implementation of their animal welfare policies by providing technical resources and trainings on cage-free egg production.

Andrew Ing, chief operating officer of The Lo & Behold Group, said: “We are proud of our commitment to corporate social responsibility and responsible consumption, which includes animal welfare in our supply chain. There is a growing demand for higher welfare and quality products and cage-free eggs are a key example of high quality, sustainable ingredients. We look forward to continuing to work with Humane Society International on this and other animal welfare issues.”

Dawn Neo, corporate outreach manager for HSI Farm Animals in Asia, said: “We applaud The Lo & Behold Group for becoming the first Asian company to commit to a cage-free egg policy, and for leading the way towards a higher standard of corporate-social responsibility for animal welfare in the region. Consumers around the world care about the way animals who are raised for food are treated. The Lo & Behold Group’s praiseworthy commitment makes it clear that Asia’s future is cage-free. We are proud to work with them on this initiative, and look forward to working with more companies in Singapore and the region on similar policies.” 

In Asia, the vast majority of egg-laying hens are confined in wire battery cages, where each hen has less space than an A4-sized sheet of paper to spend her entire life. Battery cages are inherently cruel—hens are unable to move freely or express important natural behaviours like nesting, perching, and dustbathing. Cage-free systems generally offer hens higher levels of animal welfare than battery cage systems.

The Lo & Behold Group joins other multinational companies that have made similar global cage-free egg commitments that apply to Singapore and the rest of Asia, including AccorHotels, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Nestle, Sodexo, Compass Group and Unilever, among others.

Media contacts:

HSI:

Dawn Neo, dneo@hsi.org, +65 91999608

The Lo & Behold Group:

Tammi Lin, tammi.lin@lobehold.com, 9722 3638
Deborah Theseira, deborah.theseira@lobehold.com, 9007 9794

Frimesa, Brazil’s fourth largest pig processor, has announced their commitment to end the confinement of pregnant pigs in gestation crates by 2026. The company will be transitioning all of their sows to group housing systems that offer higher animal welfare.  The company raises 80,000 sows in their farms across Brazil. This policy follows discussions with Humane Society International, which welcomed the announcement.

Pigs are highly intelligent, active and social animals. Yet, in Brazil, as in many countries, most breeding sows are confined in individual gestation crates during pregnancy, which typically amounts to a lifetime of confinement as they are repeatedly impregnated. These crates are barely larger than the animals’ bodies and prevent them from turning around or taking more than a few steps forward or backward. Extensive scientific research has proven that such extreme confinement causes significant emotional distress and physical problems, such as urinary infections and lameness.

Fernanda Vieira, corporate policy and program manager for HSI in Brazil, said: “We welcome Frimesa’s commitment to switching to more humane crate-free housing systems for their breeding sows. Consumers care about the way animals are treated in food production and oppose the cruel, lifelong confinement of sows in gestation crates. The trend is growing clear that Brazil and the rest of the world are moving away from gestation crates. We will continue to work with other pork producers on similar policies.”  

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Frimesa joins Brazil’s three largest pork processors – BRF, JBS and Aurora Alimentos, as well as other leading global pork producers, including Smithfield Foods, Cargill, Maple Leaf Foods and Hormel – that have already transitioned or are transitioning to crate-free group housing systems. Leading food corporations are also eliminating pork from producers that use gestation crates from their Latin American supply chains, including Arcos Dorados, the largest McDonald’s franchise in Latin America and the Caribbean, Subway, Burger King, Royal Caribbean, Marriot International, Hilton Worldwide, Nestle and others.

The European Union and several states in the United States have banned the continuous confinement of breeding sows in gestation crates. New Zealand and Australia have also begun phasing out gestation crates. The South Africa Pork Producers Organization expects to phase out the practice by 2020.

Media contact: Fernanda Vieira, fvieira@hsi.org, 11 9 8905 3848

Amor aos Pedaços, a bakery chain in Brazil with more than 50 locations, has committed to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs throughout its supply chain by 2025. This policy follows discussions with Humane Society International and other animal protection organizations.

Fernanda Vieira, corporate policy and program manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, stated: “Confining egg-laying hens in battery cages is not a sustainable practice, and we’re happy to have worked with Amor aos Pedaços on adopting more humane supply chain practices. Consumers no longer accept the production practices of their favorite companies without question, and we applaud Amor aos Pedaços for doing the right thing by switching to cage-free eggs.”

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Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages, so small that the hens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Both common sense and science agree that virtually immobilizing animals for their entire lives causes mental distress and significant physical pain.

The use of conventional battery cages for laying hens is banned or being phased out under laws or regulations throughout the EU, in six U.S. states and in Canada, New Zealand and Bhutan. Officials in the majority of states in India, the world’s third largest egg producer, have declared that the use of battery cages violates the country’s animal welfare legislation, and India is debating a national ban.

Amor aos Pedaços joins other food corporations that have committed to switching to exclusively cage-free eggs in Brazil and throughout Latin America.

This Friday, on World Egg Day, Humane Society International celebrates the growing number of Singaporeans buying cage-free eggs. The Singaporean cage-free market has grown over the past two years, with at least five brands of cage-free eggs now available at supermarkets in the city-state. A growing number of socially responsible restaurants and hotels are also featuring cage-free eggs on their menus.

Penny Cox, vice president of commercial & marketing at home-grown online supermarket RedMart Limited, says, “Since the launch of RedMart Cage Free Eggs in June this year, growth has been over 20 percent month on month, with August to September growth expected to hit around 30 percent. This clearly demonstrates that there is a real and growing appetite within our customer base for cage-free eggs.”

The majority of egg-laying hens in the world, including hens raised in facilities serving the Singaporean market, are confined to barren battery cages for nearly their entire lives. Given space about the size of a single sheet of paper to live in, each hen is unable to fully spread her wings, much less engage in important natural behaviours like nesting, perching and dustbathing. This kind of intensive confinement leads to physical and psychological suffering.

Major companies worldwide are switching to cage-free eggs over conventional battery cage eggs in their supply chains. The rise of cage-free eggs in Singapore speaks to a global trend of increasing consumer interest in animal welfare. In fact, some of the largest food companies and hospitality chains around the world have made commitments to source 100 percent cage-free eggs throughout their supply chains, including in Singapore. This list includes AccorHotels, Compass Group, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Nestle, Sodexo and Unilever, among others.

Dawn Neo, HSI’s corporate outreach manager for Asia, says, “It is heartening to see more consumers in Singapore embrace higher animal welfare products such as cage-free eggs. By making better food choices, consumers can improve the lives of millions of farm animals.”

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People can also eat more compassionately by reducing consumption of eggs or switching to cage-free eggs. It is easy to prepare egg-free versions of almost any dish or dessert, and plenty of egg substitutes and cage-free egg brands are available. HSI advocates compassionate eating – or the Three Rs: “reducing” or “replacing” consumption of animal products with plant-based foods, and “refining” our diets by avoiding products from farms with abusive practices, such as the confinement of hens in cages and choosing products from sources that adhere to higher animal welfare standards.

Supermarket chains in various countries have committed to stop selling eggs from caged hens within the next 10 years or less. These include all major supermarket chains in U.K. and New Zealand, all of the top 25 food retailers in the U.S. and Canada, Woolworths and ALDI in Australia, and many more. 

Media contact: Dawn Neo, dneo@hsi.org, +65 91999608

Reference in the article to any specific commercial product or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information of the public and does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation or approval by Humane Society International or any of its partner organizations of the product or service, or its producer or provider.  The views and opinions of interviewees expressed in the article do not necessarily state or accurately reflect those of Humane Society International or its partner organizations.

Kraft Heinz has committed to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs in its entire supply chain in Latin America. This policy follows discussions with HSI and other animal protection organizations. The company, which produces mayonnaise and salad dressings that contain egg, will conclude the transition to cage-free eggs by 2025.

Elissa Lane, deputy director of HSI Farm Animals, stated: “We applaud Kraft Heinz for its commitment to improving animal welfare in its supply chain in Latin America by eliminating its procurement of eggs produced by hens confined in controversial battery cages. Consumers care about the treatment animals receive in food production, and we’re proud of the work we’re doing with industry leaders in Latin America and globally to meet the growing demand for higher welfare products and generate transformational change in the global egg industry.”

In Latin America, the majority of egg-laying hens are confined in wire battery cages. The cages are so small that the hens can barely move or stretch their wings. Each battery cage confines five to 10 egg-laying hens and each animal has less space than a letter-sized piece of paper on which to spend her whole life. Hens confined in battery cages are unable to express important natural behaviors, including nesting, dustbathing, and perching. Cage-free systems generally offer hens higher levels of animal welfare than battery cage systems.

Kraft Heinz joins other multinational companies that have committed to using exclusively cage-free eggs in the country and throughout the region, including Unilever, Grupo Bimbo, Compass Group, Sodexo, Subway, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Alsea (Archies y Dominos).

Pan Pa’ Ya!, one of the leading restaurant and coffee shop chains in Colombia, with 60 locations, has announced it is joining with Humane Society International to improve animal welfare in its supply chain, committing to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs.

Pan Pa Ya’ is already using cage-free eggs in many of its products and will be 100 percent cage-free by 2025.

Pedro Felipe Estrada, business manager of Pan Pa’ Ya, stated: “We are proud to lead this initiative in Colombia, as animal welfare is a fundamental part of our corporate social responsibility and responsible consumption policies. We’re happy to be able to offer high quality and welfare products to our clients and we’ll continue working with Humane Society International on this and other animal protection initiatives.”

Elissa Lane, deputy director of HSI Farm Animals, stated: “We congratulate Pan Pa’ Ya for being one of the first Colombian food companies to commit to only sourcing cage-free eggs, and we’re happy to work with the company on this important initiative. Pan Pa’ Ya, like many major multinational companies, understands that consumers no longer accept the production practices of their favorite companies without question. We applaud Pan Pa’ Ya for helping lead the way towards a corporate-social responsibility standard in Colombia that includes animal welfare improvements in their supply chains.”

In Colombia, approximately 75 percent of egg-laying hens are confined in wire battery cages, so small they care barely move or stretch their wings. Each battery cage confines five to 10 egg-laying hens and each animal has less space than a letter-sized piece of paper or an iPad, on which to spend her whole life. Hens confined in battery cages are unable to express important natural behaviors, including nesting, dustbathing, and perching. Cage-free systems generally offer hens higher levels of animal welfare than battery cage systems.

Pan Pa’ Ya is one of the first Colombian companies to commit to using exclusively cage-free eggs and follows the path of several multinational companies that have made similar commitments in Colombia and throughout the region, including Grupo Bimbo, Compass Group, Sodexo, McDonald’s, Burger King, Alsea (Archies y Dominos), Hoteles Estelar, IMC Colombia (J&C Delicias y R.A. Catering) and Unilever.

Media contacts:
Colombia: Laura Agudelo, lafripreseria@gmail.com
Estados Unidos: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1 301-721-6440

Humane Society International  welcomes the announcement from major Mexican food company Taco Holding that it will transition to a cage-free egg supply chain by 2025. The new policy will improve the welfare standards for tens of thousands of egg laying hens throughout the company’s production line by replacing eggs from hens kept in battery cages to those from hens housed in higher welfare systems.

This policy follows discussions with HSI and other animal protection organizations. Taco Holding operates more than 550 restaurants in Mexico including the leading brands Krispy Kreme, Carl’s Jr., Taco Inn, Sbarro and El Farolito.

Sabina García, corporate policy and program director of HSI Farm Animals in Mexico, said: “We applaud Taco Holding for improving animal welfare in its supply chain by switching to exclusively cage-free eggs. Taco Holding is the latest major Mexican food company to move away from battery cages and their commitment further reinforces the leadership of the Mexican food industry on animal welfare issues in Latin America.”

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In its policy statement, Taco Holdings said: “Taco holding is convinced of the importance of promoting animal welfare and protection… This commitment requires the participation of business partners in our supply chain and main egg producers in Mexico…Taco Holding is convinced that, through these types of actions, we’ll be able to contribute to creating change towards a practice that has a positive impact on the environment and animal welfare.”

Battery cages are tiny wire enclosures used to confine egg-laying hens in industrial farming facilities. Despite progress on animal welfare made over the years by food companies, coupled with consumer demand to move away from battery cages, most industrial farms in Mexico still raise hens in such enclosures. Battery cages are inherently cruel – hens often spend their entire lives in these cages, and are unable to move freely or express important natural behaviors. Higher welfare commercial-scale cage-free production systems that provide hens with more space and freedom to express their natural behaviors are available in Mexico and throughout Latin America.

Media Contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1 301-721-6440

JBS, one of the world’s largest food companies, has committed to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs throughout its supply chain by 2020. This policy follows discussions with Humane Society International and other animal protection organizations. JBS manufactures a number of food products that contain eggs, including pasta.

In 2015, JBS made a similar commitment to improve the welfare of sows in all of its pork production facilities by phasing out the use of restrictive gestation crates. 

Fernanda Vieira, corporate policy and program manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, stated: “We congratulate JBS for its leadership in animal welfare. This new commitment to transition to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs will significantly improve conditions for the animals in its egg supply chain.”

Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages, so small that the hens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Both common sense and science agree that virtually immobilizing animals for their entire lives causes mental distress and significant physical pain.

The use of conventional battery cages for laying hens is banned or being phased out under laws or regulations throughout the EU, in six U.S. states and in New Zealand and Bhutan. Officials in the majority of states in India, the world’s third largest egg producer, have declared that the use of battery cages violates the country’s animal welfare legislation, and the country is debating a national ban.

JBS joins other leading food manufacturers and corporations that have also committed to switching to exclusively cage-free eggs in Brazil and throughout Latin America, including Unilever, which has committed to a global cage-free egg supply chain by 2020, and Nestlé, the largest food company in the world. After working with HSI, Burger King and Arcos Dorados, which operates McDonald’s in Brazil and 19 other countries in the region, committed to switching to 100 percent cage-free eggs, as did other leading restaurant operators, totaling thousands of restaurants in Brazil and Latin America alone. Compass Group (GRSA in Brazil) and Sodexo, both leading food service providers in the country, announced a global cage-free policy in partnership with HSI. Alsea, the largest restaurant operator in Latin America and Spain, and Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest bakery company, announced cage-free egg policies after several years of talks with HSI specialists.  Other leading corporations like BRF, Casa do Pão de Queijo, International Meal Company, Grupo Trigo, Brazil Fast Food Corporation, Subway, Giraffas, Habib’s, Sodexo, Unilever, Nestlé, Cargill, Bunge, Hemmer, Barilla, Intercontinental Hotels Group, AccorHotels, Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide have also pledged to go cage-free in Brazil.

Media contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1-301-721-6440

Sapore, one of Brazil’s largest food service providers, serving approximately 365 million meals per year, announced (in Portuguese) a partnership with Humane Society International, committing to source exclusively cage-free eggs (liquid and shell) by 2025.

Fernanda Vieira, corporate policy and program manager for HSI/Brazil, said: “We applaud Sapore for improving animal welfare in its supply chain by switching to cage-free eggs, a move that will improve the lives of tens of thousands of hens in Brazil. The future of egg production in Brazil is cage-free and we look forward to working with other companies on similar policies.”

Sapore is pleased to announce its commitment with HSI, as the company is committed to social and environmental issues. Apart from the work with at-risk youth through the Daniel Mendez Association, training them to be competitive in the workforce, the company’s business also values sustainability in the day-to-day operations at restaurants. Through the IOS- Sapore Operational Intelligence, that prioritizes the training of our staff, optimizes processes and provides our kitchens with state of the art equipment, guaranteeing reduction in water (-25 percent), water (-30 percent), gas (-30 percent), and energy usage (-35 percent), we make our operations more sustainable”

Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages, so small that the hens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Science confirms what commonsense tell us, that the lack of space and restriction of movement is detrimental to the physical health of the birds and causes frustration and suffering.

The use of conventional battery cages for laying hens is banned or being phased out under laws or regulations throughout the EU, in five U.S. states and in New Zealand and Bhutan. Officials in the majority of states in India, the world’s third largest egg producer, have declared that the use of battery cages violates the country’s animal welfare legislation, and the country is debating a national ban.

Sapore joins Compass Group (GRSA in Brazil) and Sodexo, both leading food service companies in Brazil that have also committed to switching to exclusively cage-free eggs. Other leading food manufacturers and restaurant companies, including Unilever, which has committed to a global cage-free egg supply chain by 2020, Nestlé, the largest food company in the world, Burger King and Arcos Dorados, which operates McDonald’s in Brazil and 19 other countries in the region, committed to switching to 100 percent cage-free eggs, as did other leading restaurant operators, totaling thousands of restaurants in Brazil alone. Alsea, the largest restaurant operator in Latin America and Spain, and Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest bakery company, announced cage-free egg policies after several years of talks with HSI. Other leading corporations like BFFC, Grupo Trigo (in Portuguese), AccorHotels, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Subway, Cargill, IMC, Barilla, Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide have also pledged to go cage-free in Brazil.

Media contact: Fernanda Vieira, fvieira@hsi.org, 11 9 8905 3848