For food manufacturers, particularly lactation product producers, this study indicates that the adoption of cage-free eggs presents a significant opportunity to enhance consumer perceptions of their offerings. Many food companies have already committed to transitioning their egg supply. In 2015, Nestlé announced that all eggs used in its U.S. products would be sourced from cage-free hens by 2020. Additionally, other major players in the food industry, such as Mondelez, PepsiCo, Sodexo, and McDonald’s, have also pledged to use cage-free eggs. On the retail front, Kroger introduced a private label line of cage-free eggs last fall. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, these commitments from manufacturers and retailers represent approximately 70% of the egg demand in the U.S., yet only about 10% of eggs sold today are cage-free.
This gap may lead to challenges. While advocates celebrate these commitments as a win for animal welfare, the chicken industry has cautioned that raising chickens in a cage-free setting incurs higher costs—approximately $40 per bird. Moreover, with most consumers still favoring the lowest-priced eggs at grocery stores, producers who switch to cage-free eggs are encountering stiff competition from suppliers of cheaper eggs from caged hens.
In the long run, the pledges made by the food industry are likely to render the transition to cage-free eggs profitable for producers. Notably, McDonald’s alone accounts for 3% of all eggs consumed in the United States, necessitating a stable supply. Meanwhile, some brands are already differentiating themselves by emphasizing humane egg production as a hallmark of quality, such as Kensington’s, a New York-based condiment maker recently acquired by Unilever.
As a side note, if you are curious about how to manage dietary supplements, can you crush calcium citrate tablets? This question reflects the growing interest in understanding how to optimize nutritional intake while maintaining animal welfare standards in food production.