Burgerville Becomes First Restaurant Chain to Hatch a Cage-Free Egg Policy

WASHINGTON - The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation's largest animal protection organization, commends Burgerville for eliminating its use of eggs from hens confined in abusive battery cages. The chain, based in Vancouver, Washington, has 39 restaurants in Oregon and Southwest Washington. It uses eggs on biscuits and bagels, as well as in breakfast platters.

"Burgerville has a strong commitment to sustainability and social responsibility," said Tom Mears, CEO of Burgerville. "Switching to an exclusively cage-free egg policy is a direct way for our company to improve the lives of animals."

Burgerville joins a growing number of schools and companies that are moving away from eggs from caged hens. Oregon schools such as Lewis and Clark College, University of Portland, Reed College, Willamette University, Marylhurst University and George Fox University join more than 100 others across the country in enacting policies to eliminate or greatly reduce their use of eggs from caged hens.

Locally, Portland's JoPa restaurant, Hillsboro's JoPa Café and Cup and Saucer Café have also ended the use of eggs produced by caged hens. Across the country, major grocery chains such as Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace have also stopped selling cage eggs. Trader Joe's has converted its private line eggs to cage-free. Bon Appétit, a major food service company, is phasing out the use of cage eggs in all of its 400 cafés, and Ben & Jerry's is doing the same for its ice creams. Even companies such as AOL and Google have ended the use of cage eggs in their employee cafeterias.

"The Humane Society of the United States commends Burgerville's leadership in helping prevent one of the worst factory farm abuses," said Paul Shapiro, Factory Farming Campaign director for The HSUS. "Burgerville is setting a positive example for other socially responsible restaurant chains to follow."

U.S. factory farms confine nearly 300 million hens in barren, wire battery cages that are so small, the birds can't perform many important behaviors, including nesting, foraging, perching, dust bathing, walking, and spreading their wings. Each bird has less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live, leading to a lifetime of suffering.

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About The Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with nearly 10 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country.

About The Holland, Inc.

The Holland, Inc. is the premiere provider of the Pacific Northwest dining experience to discerning and quality conscious communities and guests. The Holland, Inc. restaurants bring the flavor of the Pacific Northwest to life through local sustainable farming by delivering the highest levels of food quality, safety and ingredients. The experience and standards consumers find at white table cloth restaurants is provided at Burgerville, Noodlin' and Beaches, which are wholly owned subsidiaries of The Holland, Inc. With a goal to conduct food and business operations in a sustainable fashion, Burgerville and Noodlin' have moved out of the quick service food category and into "Fast Casual" dining. The trio of restaurants have menus created with Northwest-sourced ingredients including all-natural Oregon County Beef, Walla Walla onions, Tillamook cheese, and Yo-Cream International yogurt. With more than 1,500 employees and 43 restaurants throughout Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington, The Holland, Inc. serves guests with great tasting food in a community based environment and a service mission of love. For more information and news on The Holland, Inc., please visit the Web site at www.hollandinc.com.