Bon Appetit Puts the Chicken Before the Egg |
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October 18, 2005
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Farm Sanctuary
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Bon Appetit Management Company, a California-based food service provider with a strong commitment to socially responsible practices, announced today that it will phase out its use of eggs from birds confined in battery cages, and will purchase only cage-free shell eggs within a year. The company's decision is expected to impact tens of thousands of egg-laying hens, who will no longer face a life sentence in a tiny battery cage.
Bon Appetit adopted the cage-free policy after talking with Josh Balk, outreach coordinator of The HSUS’s Factory Farming Campaign, about the suffering endured by battery-caged hens. The company, which provides cafe and catering services to a wide range of groups, from corporations to museums, joins a growing list of grocery chains, restaurants, universities, and culinary schools that are going cage-free, including Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace.
Bon Appetit purchases eight million shell eggs and serves more than 55 million meals every year from nearly 200 different dining facilities in 26 states. The company's decision to purchase only cage-free shell eggs means that approximately 31,000 fewer birds per year will endure life in a battery cage. Since the company empowers each of the chefs at its dining facilities to make his or her own purchasing decisions, Bon Appetit has introduced a phase-in plan to allow chefs to find appropriate suppliers. The company’s ultimate goal is to purchase only cage-free eggs, in both shell and liquid form.
Bon Appetit's decision, one of the largest advances for laying hen welfare in the United States to date, reflects its commitment to socially responsible food sourcing. Along those same lines, the company has also pledged to purchase only eggs from sources that meet the standards of Humane Farm Animal Care, an independent farm animal welfare certifying organization.
This policy shift fits neatly into Bon Appetit's corporate philosophy. The company has already adopted policies to purchase only hormone-free milk, antibiotic-free poultry, and sustainable seafood. Chefs also purchase locally produced and seasonal ingredients, which supports not only small farmers, but also farming practices that have fewer negative impacts on the environment.
“We’re proud to be the first restaurant company to transition towards exclusively offering cage-free eggs to our customers,” said Fedele Bauccio, CEO of Bon Appetit Management Company. “Food that is responsibly sourced is better for our health, our communities, and the world in which we live. This is why we joined The HSUS in support of animal welfare.”
In the United States, more than 95% of the nearly 300 million laying hens are confined to barren battery cages, unable even to spread their wings or engage in many other natural behaviors, such as nesting, foraging, perching, and dust bathing. The cages provide each bird with less floor space than a single sheet of paper.
“Bon Appetit has taken a powerful stand against cruelty to animals. Its decision to use only cage-free eggs will have a far-reaching effect on other companies, suppliers, and consumers, as it will drive changes in egg sourcing practices for the entire food service industry," said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president & CEO. "We applaud Bon Appetit’s decision and ask other companies to follow its example.”
What You Can Do
Please thank Bon Appetit for going cage-free, and for making life better for tens of thousands of egg-laying hens.
See the Video
Caged Hens Need Trader Joe's to Give an Inch
Related Links
A Giant Step Away from Misleading Labeling
Campaign Victory: Trader Joe's Goes Cage-Free with Its Brand Eggs
Wild Oats and Whole Foods Sow Compassion with Cage-Free Egg Policies
The HSUS's Campaign to Ban Battery Cages
