PoultryWorld: Groundbreaking sourcing strategy to achieve cage-free commitments

30 okt 2025

Industry leaders including Kellanova, Compass Group, Lagardére, Best Western, and PizzaExpress are adopting a novel hybrid cage-free sourcing strategy involving the first of its kind Impact Incentives (cage-free credits) to meet commitments and support local farmers.

As 2025 cage-free deadlines approach, more food and hospitality companies are turning to a blended approach to ensure on-time fulfilment while building long-term supply chain resilience. This approach involves direct physical souring whenever possible, combined with the purchase of Impact Incentives, or cage-free credits, to cover any shortfalls.

Accelerating the transition to cage-free egg production

Cage-free Impact Incentives are market-based financial mechanisms designed to accelerate the transition to cage-free egg production. Administered by Global Food Partners, the programme enables companies to support cage-free production and offset their use of eggs from caged systems without immediate supply chain changes, while offering training and technical support, and economic incentives to producers for compliance with animal welfare standards.

Endorsed by leading animal advocacy organisations, this hybrid model enables companies to report 100% fulfilment of cage-free egg commitments to stakeholders.

Closing sourcing gaps

Through this approach, companies like Kellanova, Compass Group, Lagardère Best Western and PizzaExpress are closing sourcing gaps, ensuring continuity of supply, and accelerating the transition to cage-free systems. Each credit purchased represents tangible on-farm improvements and measurable animal welfare outcomes, turning corporate commitments into real-world impact.

Kellanova, a multinational food manufacturer, recently announced that it would use cage-free credits to help meet its global target, noting that credits “offer a credible, immediate solution to uphold our global standards while continuing to support the expansion of cage-free systems”.

Lagardère Travel Retail, a global retail and restaurant operator, has already achieved over 67% cage-free implementation across Asia thanks to its use of cage-free credits and physical sourcing. By using cage-free credits, Lagardère has been able to reduce implementation costs and directly support Sanguan Farm, a Thai producer scaling up its cage-free operations and working toward international certification.

In the hospitality sector, credits are becoming an essential tool, particularly for remote properties where sourcing cage-free eggs remains a challenge. Recently, Best Western reported that it is already 70% cage-free in Asia and Latin America through physical sourcing and will use credits to further advance its commitments in these regions.

With December deadlines nearing, cage-free credits offer companies a flexible, cost-effective solution to meet commitments while supporting local farmers and strengthening regional cage-free ecosystems.

Global Food Partners helps companies design the right balance between physical sourcing and credits, so they can meet cage-free commitments on time, cost-effectively, and with measurable impact.