CHARLOTTE N.C. All 7,500 foodservice accounts managed by Compass Group North America will switch within 90 days to eggs from cage-free farms, the catering giant said.
The company, the U.S. arm of London-based Compass Group PLC, also said it would exclusively use eggs that meet the standards of Human Farm Animal Care, a nonprofit organization that promotes animal welfare.
Switching to eggs from hens raised outside of cages will involve orders for some 48 million eggs, according to Compass.
“This is a huge undertaking for our company, but we’re proud to be making such a significant contribution to the welfare of farm animals,” spokeswoman Cheryl Queen said.
In October 2005, Compass Group’s Palo Alto, Calif.-based Bon Appetit Management Co. implemented its own cage-free-egg policy at the 150 accounts it manages.