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Taco Bell says it will crack nothing but cage-free eggs at its 6,000 U.S. locations by 2017.
McDonald’s Corp. in September said it was switching to cage-free eggs at its 16,000 Canadian and U.S. stores within 10 years, while Burger King said it would aim to do so by 2017, according to Reuters. Dunkin’ Donuts in March said that 10 percent of all eggs used in its breakfast sandwiches would cage-free by the end of 2016, and Starbucks Corp. and Panera Bread Co. each have said they would make the move to cage-free eggs by 2020.
Taco Bell, a unit of Yum Brands Inc. (NYSE:YUM),, said in a 12-month time frame, its eggs will be verified as “American Humane Certified” based on cage-free egg production standards set by the American Humane Association. The company, citing figures from the Humane Society of the United States, said about 500,000 hens each year will benefit from this change.
“We are a brand that has our finger on the pulse of not only what appeals to our customers’ tastes but also the issues they care most about, and they tell us they want food that’s simple and easy to understand,” Taco Bell Chief Executive Brian Niccol said in a statement. “Implementing this change at record pace underscores that we are always listening and responding to our customers, while doing what is right for our business.”
Chief Food Innovation Officer Liz Matthews said the company is able to make the switch in one year because of “the brand’s large yet flexible infrastructure, and years of close collaboration with our partners.”
Proponents of cage-free egg production say the method supports the natural behaviors of hens, including walking, spreading of wings, nesting, and perching, and can lead to animals exhibiting lower levels of stress.
Agencies/Canadajournal
