Cargill Helped McDonald's Achieve 100% Cage-Free Egg Commitment
Cargill announced it helped McDonald's achieve its U.S. commitment to source 100% cage-free eggs, two years ahead of schedule.
Cargill, a global food corporation, has announced its role in helping McDonald's meet its commitment to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs for all its U.S. restaurants. The restaurant chain had initially set a goal for 2025, but the transition was completed in February 2024.
McDonald's made the pledge in September 2015 to transition to cage-free eggs, a significant undertaking given their high volume of egg consumption, nearly 2 billion annually. At the time of the commitment, a sufficient supply of cage-free eggs was not readily available in the U.S.
As McDonald's egg supplier, Cargill partnered with the company and egg producers to develop the necessary supply chain. This involved supporting producers in converting farms to cage-free systems, providing financial assistance, and collaborating with research institutions on best practices and hen welfare.
Cargill has provided approximately $850 million in financing to egg producers since 2019 to aid in their transition to cage-free operations. This collaboration enabled McDonald's to fulfill its sustainability goal two years ahead of its 2025 deadline.