Wendy's To Transition To 100 Percent Cage-Free Eggs By 2020

Wendy's becomes the latest chain to join the cage-free egg movement, with its announcement on Monday to go 100 percent cage free in its U.S. and Canada locations by 2020. The release says, "The announcement represents the next step in Wendy's overarching animal welfare program."

Wendy's history with animal welfare goes back to the late 1990s, through which the chain has worked with animal welfare experts to audit animal handling practices of its suppliers. In 2001 Wendy's established its Animal Welfare Council and adopted a comprehensive animal welfare program. This program is developed and updated by consulting with third party experts, which include veterinarians, supply chain leaders, and animal welfare advocates.

In addition to its commitment to cage-free eggs by 2020, Wendy's has also committed to eliminate the use of gestation stalls from its pork supply chain by 2022. Liliana Esposito, Wendy's Chief Communications Officer, says, "Animal welfare is a core part of our company's role as a responsible corporate citizen. We're proud of our commitment to move to 100 percent cage-free eggs for our breakfast items and will continue to incorporate evolving best practices in the areas of animal handling and welfare into our supply chain requirements."