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 organisations. 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 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.”
The use of conventional battery cages for laying hens is banned or being phased out under laws or regulations throughout the EU, in six US 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% 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.