Exciting Milestone Achieved: McDonald’s Reaches 100% Cage-Free Egg Sourcing Goal Ahead of Schedule
Breakfast enthusiasts, rejoice! McDonald’s proudly announces the fulfillment of its commitment to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs in the U.S. by 2025, achieving this milestone two years earlier than anticipated. Upholding the well-being of animals within our supply chain remains a top priority, and we are thrilled to mark this significant progress.
How did we accomplish this feat?
In essence, it’s the collective effort of the McDonald’s System rallying toward a common objective.
As part of the U.S. System, we procured nearly 2 billion eggs in 2023 – a quantity almost six times the U.S. population! Since our decision in 2015 to transition to cage-free egg sourcing in the U.S., we have consistently backed our commitment with action. This endeavor involved all facets of McDonald’s operations – owner/operators, suppliers, and company personnel – collaborating to facilitate the transformation of our supply chain.
Quality remains paramount
At McDonald’s, we steadfastly uphold food quality and animal welfare across our supply chain. But how do cage-free eggs align with our rigorous standards?
On cage-free farms, hens enjoy an open environment conducive to expressing natural behaviors, complete with enrichments like perches, scratch areas, and nests. Each egg farm supplying McDonald’s in the U.S. is overseen by an attending veterinarian who spearheads training and education for staff, ensuring a high standard of care.
The human touch behind the eggs
Establishing a substantial supply of cage-free eggs at the scale of McDonald’s U.S. operations wouldn’t have been feasible without the invaluable support of partners like Cargill and their egg producers, including the fourth-generation family-owned Forsman Farms based in Minnesota.
“As a family, we deliberated whether we could do it,” shared Peter Forsman, Owner of Forsman Farms. “We had zero cage-free systems, and we knew this would be a significant challenge.” As U.S.-based egg producers undertook the necessary changes to qualify as cage-free, McDonald’s and Cargill provided unwavering support throughout the transition.
We enlisted animal welfare experts and academics to assist egg producers in farm building and renovation, as well as implementing new technologies. This collaborative effort included Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, a fourth-generation family business in Michigan, supplying Cargill for McDonald’s for decades.
“I can’t emphasize enough the value of our partnership with Cargill and McDonald’s. They understand our challenges and actively support us through them,” remarked Herb Herbruck, President of Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch.
The coordinated actions of stakeholders across our U.S. System exemplify our commitment to fulfilling our purpose of nourishing and fostering communities, advancing food safety and quality, and prioritizing animal welfare within our supply chain. This achievement marks another stride toward a more sustainable future.
“Our journey to achieve 100% cage-free egg sourcing in the U.S. was an immense undertaking, made possible by the collaborative efforts of our owner/operators, Cargill and their egg producers, and our supply chain operating as a unified team,” remarked Bob Stewart, SVP, North America Chief Supply Chain Officer for McDonald’s. “I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together and the positive impact we will continue to make as we progress toward sustainability
