Bon Appétit Exceeds 25% Humane Target
Food service pioneer now spends millions annually on third-party-certified humanely raised eggs, beef, pork, chicken, and turkey
Palo Alto, CA (December 22, 2017) — Bon Appétit Management Company is proud to announce that we have completed the last of the ambitious tasks we outlined in 2012 to improve the welfare of animals in our food supply. Five years ago we ceased purchasing foie gras and crated veal, and since then we have switched to Certified Humane ground beef, to cage-free precracked (a.k.a. liquid) eggs (our shell eggs have been cage free since 2005), and to pork from sows raised without dependence on gestation crates.
The final remaining challenge was to source at least 25 percent of all our meat, poultry and egg purchases companywide from producers that meet one of four third-party animal welfare humane certifications. These four programs represent the top tier in verifiable standards, ones that not only prohibit such cruel practices as gestation crates and battery cages, but also require animals to be allowed to engage in their natural behaviors. We are pleased to announce we completed our fiscal year at 26.7% certified product. Millions of Bon Appétit’s purchasing dollars are now flowing monthly to producers — both small and large — who treat their animals responsibly and meet the stringent standards of Humane Farm Animal Care, Animal Welfare Approved, Global Animal Partnership (GAP), and Food Alliance.
Fellows Caroline Ferguson and Maggie Kraft suited up for a tour of Stiebrs egg farm
Bon Appétit is very grateful to Glaum Egg Ranch, Niman Ranch, Mary’s Ranch, Oregon Country Beef, Pure Country Pork (read blog post), Rain Crow Ranch (watch video), Stiebrs Farms (read blog post), Sun Fed Beef, White Oak Pastures, Wilcox Farms, and many others for helping us reach our goal.
“We believe in delivering on our promises, reporting on our challenges, and in continually striving to seek out the most ethical, socially and environmentally responsible food we can manage as a company our size,” said Chief Strategy and Brand Officer Maisie Ganzler, who oversees Bon Appétit Management Company’s purchasing efforts and its sustainability commitments, among other areas.
The next such challenge is already under way. Liquid and cage-free eggs and ground beef make up the bulk of that 25% figure. In partnership with GAP, Bon Appétit has committed to transforming the welfare of the millions of broiler chickens within its supply chain. Through this initiative, all of Bon Appétit’s broiler chickens will be certified under GAP’s 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating program, including the use of approved genetics for slower-growing, more humane strains of chicken.