Restaurant chain Cracker Barrel and specialty grocery store chain Trader Joe’s have pledged to transition to use only cage-free eggs.
Cracker Barrel stated that it intends to complete the transition by 2026. Cracker Barrel, which according to a statement on its website, serves 220 million eggs at its 635 restaurants in the United States.
Trader Joe’s, which presently offers a variety of eggs that include those from hens housed in conventional cages and from cage-free and free-range operations, stated that it will transition to serving only cage-free eggs by 2025. However, the company intends to complete the transition at its stores in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado by 2020. Trader Joe’s further stated that if market conditions allow it to complete the transition earlier, it will.
Presently, 62 percent of the eggs offered at Trader Joe’s U.S. locations are from cage-free farms.
Trader Joe’s stated that it is making the change “in response to valuable customer feedback.”
With the two announcements, Cracker Barrel and Trader Joe’s join a growing list of companies that in 2016 have pledged to switch to using only cage-free eggs. Others to make similar announcements include: Cara Foods, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Taco John’s, Burger King, Tim Hortons, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Sonic, Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Bob Evans, White Castle, P.F. Chang’s, California Pizza Kitchen, Target, ConAgra, Campbell’s, Mondelēz International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Denny’s, Quiznos, and Wendy’s.
