Nov. 05--Panera pledged Thursday that it will use 100 percent cage-free eggs by 2020 and will mark other animal welfare goals for its pigs, poultry and beef cattle by the end of this year.
According to Panera, cage-free eggs account for 21 percent of the 70 million hard-boiled eggs and liquid egg whites served in its restaurants this year. The 100 percent cage-free commitment will also include eggs used in sweets, souffles and salad dressings, a total of more than 120 million eggs a year.
It will phase out all pigs in its supply chain that were raised with "gestation crates" -- tight metal pens used commonly on factory farms to confine sows -- by year's end. At this time last year, about 91 percent of pigs used by Panera were sourced from farms that let pregnant sows roam freely in "group housing." Panera estimates it will buy 7 million pounds of pork this year.
Panera also says 100 percent of its roasted turkey in sandwiches and salads will be raised without antibiotics by the end of this year. Roasted turkey accounts for one-third of all turkey used in its stores. Panera already reached that threshold with chicken last year, and at that time sold most turkey without antibiotics.
Beef cattle will be 89 percent grass fed and free range by the end of this year as well. At the end of 2014, Panera was at the 80 percent mark.
Panera CEO Ron Shaich said in a statement that the company has been working against antibiotic use and confinement for more than a decade.
"While there is more work to do, we are within reach of a menu without antibiotics and unnecessary confinement," he said.
Other restaurant chains have also made commitments to improve animal welfare in recent years as the public becomes more concerned with where their food comes from. McDonald's, one of the nation's biggest egg buyers, said in September that it would move to cage-free eggs in the U.S. and Canada over the next 10 years. It buys about 2 billion eggs a year.
sbomkamp@tribpub.com
