Humane Society International : Giraffas commits to a 100 percent cage-free egg supply chain

January 27, 2017

Humane Society International

• Giraffas new cage-free egg policy will improve the lives of thousands egg-laying hens in Brazil. HSI

Giraffas, one the largest restaurant companies in Brazil, has announced a partnership with Humane Society International to transition to exclusively cage-free eggs in its supply chain. Giraffas, which operates more than 400 restaurants, has committed to being 100 percent cage-free by 2025.

Fernanda Vieira, corporate policy and program manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, stated: 'We're happy to work with Giraffas to improve animal welfare in its supply chain. Consumers in Brazil care about the way animals are treated in food production, and Giraffas new cage-free egg policy will improve the lives of thousands egg-laying hens in the country.'

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In its statement, Giraffas stated: 'We're among the sector's leaders, as we always establish a commitment to quality and satisfaction, both to our direct consumers as well as our supply chain. Certainly, focusing our efforts on guaranteeing animal welfare is also part of our business plan.'

Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages, so small that the hens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Both common sense and science agree that virtually immobilizing animals for their entire lives causes mental distress and significant physical pain.

The use of conventional battery cages for laying hens is banned or being phased out under laws or regulations throughout the EU, in five U.S. 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.

Giraffas 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 percent 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 Cargill, IMC, BFFC, Grupo Trigo, AccorHotels, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Subway, Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide have also pledged to go cage-free in Brazil. Take action and donate now to help.

Media contact: Fernanda Vieira, [e-mail], 11 9 8905 3848