• by Teresa Buyikian , October 12, 2023

Famous Brands, Pizza Express, Papa John's, Starbucks, Yum! Brands and Restaurant Brands International emerged as the top brands “reporting global progress, improving treatment of egg-laying hens around the world” according to a report issued this week by Open Wing Alliance (OWA). The group is a coalition of 100 animal protection organizations in 72 countries on six continents that promote farm animal welfare -- and especially cage-free egg production.

The Global Restaurant Report serves as a tool for consumers who value animal welfare and wish to make informed decisions about which restaurants they support, Global Corporations Manager for Open Wing Alliance Hannah Surowinski told QSR Insider.

To date, over 2,500 major food corporations -- including 146 global commitments by some of the largest multinational corporations -- have announced cage-free egg commitments.

The report digs into which restaurant chains are following through on their public commitments to source cage-free eggs in their global supply chains, vs. which ones are not. It’s not so much that these companies are not following through on their commitments, it’s that they’re not publicly reporting their progress. According to the report, Focus Brands, Inspire Brands, Caffè Nero and Au Bon Pain fall into this category.

“We want to give companies the benefit of the doubt,” said Surowinski. “A lot of the time companies are making progress and they don't even realize it. (Brands) are usually excited to report (their) progress.”

And with good reason: Humane treatment of farmed animals is a top concern among consumers. According to a recent study from Frontiers in Animal Science, three-quarters of people across 14 different nations agreed: “the welfare of farmed animals in [my country] is important to me.”

As consumers care more about the treatment of the animals that provide their food, “We are also seeing more and more companies rush to complete their commitments early, as they see the importance of sourcing cage-free eggs and want to get ahead of the curve,” Surowinski said.

With this in mind, it is important for brands to publicly promote their cage-free progress, according to Surowinski.

“The norm is for companies to report on their global cage-free egg commitments, and the industry standard is moving to regional reporting as the next phase of the reporting process," said Surowinski. "It shows that the company keeps the promises it makes to consumers and it demonstrates global equity on the company's part [not just a focus on Western countries].”

Obviously there’s a lot of room for improvement for many brands. Companies should "be transparent about progress and honest about the challenges they face," added Surowinsk. "Then we can … see that they are working hard to ensure that no corner of their supply chain is involved with confining laying hens to cages.”

According to the report, laying hens are one of the most statistically exploited animals in the world, with six billion confined to cages—each of which can hold as many as 10 chickens in a space the size of a cabinet drawer. Hens suffer extreme stress, pain and frustration as a result. Cage-free systems allow hens to move around, stretch their wings and walk on solid ground, which dramatically improves their quality of life.