Taco Bell commits to serving cage-free eggs in US by end of 2016
Taco Bell today announced that all of its U.S. corporate and franchise-owned restaurants will exclusively serve cage-free eggs by December 31, 2016.
The brand said that it expects to be the first national quick service restaurant to completely implement the change. According to the Humane Society of the United States, approximately 500,000 hens each year will benefit from this change.
“We are a brand that has our finger on the pulse of not only what appeals to our customers’ tastes but also the issues they care most about, and they tell us they want food that’s simple and easy to understand,” said Brian Niccol, CEO, Taco Bell Corp.
“Implementing this change at record pace underscores that we are always listening and responding to our customers, while doing what is right for our business.”
Taco Bell’s eggs will be verified as “American Humane Certified” based on cage-free egg production standards set by the American Humane Association.
“Delivering a sustainable and safe egg supply to Taco Bell restaurants nationwide in one year is possible due to the brand’s large yet flexible infrastructure, and years of close collaboration with our partners,” Liz Matthews, Chief Food Innovation Officer, Taco Bell Corp, said.
“Taco Bell has catapulted itself ahead of other major restaurant chains. Switching to 100 percent cage-free eggs by the end of 2016 is a tremendous commitment that will quickly improve the lives of countless animals and further cement the future of egg production as being one without cages,” said Josh Balk, Senior Food Policy Director, The Humane Society of the United States.
Taco Bell also confirmed that by the beginning of 2016, it will deliver on its stated goal of removing artificial flavors and colors, added trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, and unsustainable palm oil from its core menu items. The company also plans to introduce aspartame-free diet Pepsi products in all of its U.S. restaurants beginning in early 2016.
The company plans to expand its policies related to food simplicity, transparency and choice in coming months, to complement its stated goal of eliminating additional preservatives and additives where possible by end of 2017.
“Ingredient transparency is more important than ever to the next generation of Taco Bell customers. That is why we remain hungry and challenge ourselves to set ambitious yet achievable commitments that make our food better, without ever compromising the flavor that our fans crave,” said Matthews.
