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In a move that aligns with changing consumer preferences and prioritizes animal welfare, McDonald’s major egg upgrade, is a transition to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs for all its U.S. restaurants. This achievement, reached two years ahead of their original 2025 target, marks a milestone for the fast-food giant. This is especially as it comes from a chain that used over 2 billion eggs in 2023.
The decision to switch to cage-free eggs stemmed from a 2015 commitment by McDonald’s to improve the welfare of animals across its supply chain. Cage-free environments allow hens more space to roam, nest, and exhibit natural behaviors, compared to the restricted confines of conventional cages.
McDonald’s SVP Bob Stewart, the North American chief supply chain officer, said in a statement: “Our journey to move to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs in the U.S. was a huge undertaking—made uniquely possible by our owner/operators, Cargill and their egg producers, and our supply chain working together as one team.”
Reaching this goal involved extensive collaboration between McDonald’s, its egg suppliers, and animal welfare experts. This included partnering with Cargill, a major egg supplier, to transform egg production practices and ensure a consistent supply of cage-free eggs. Additionally, McDonald’s worked with egg producers to upgrade their facilities to meet the new standards, which included providing hens with access to perches, scratch areas, and nests.
Peter Forsman, owner of Minnesota-based Forsman Farms, said in a statement: “As a family, we sat down and said, ‘Are we going to be able to do it? We had zero cage-free systems, and we knew this was going to be a big challenge.”
This shift towards cage-free eggs reflects growing consumer demand for ethical and sustainable sourcing. It also aligns with the evolving landscape of the restaurant industry, where many major chains are adopting similar practices to meet consumer expectations.
Other fast food chains like Popeyes, Burger King and Tim Horton’s, all under the umbrella of parent company Restaurant Brand International…announced their own plans to go cage-free by 2030. Denny’s and Bob Evans have plans to reach that goal by 2026.
Of course there’s further need for improvement in animal welfare practices across fast food restaurants and they’re supply chains… but this is a good first step.
In other McDonald’s news, the chain is making “WcDonald’s” an anime-inspired marketing experience come to life with Manga-inspired packaging, and a short anime series. WcDonald’s is launching the campaign alongside the new Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce, which will be available for a limited time.
