3 more businesses commit to GAP broiler standards

Within the past week, two restaurant chains and one foodservice company have announced commitments to transition to Global Animal Partnership (GAP) standards for their broiler supplies.

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BJ's Restaurant is one of several businesses to recently pledge to source broilers raised according to Global Animal Partnership (GAP) standards. | Wolterk, Bigstock
BJ's Restaurant is one of several businesses to recently pledge to source broilers raised according to Global Animal Partnership (GAP) standards. | Wolterk, Bigstock

Within the past week, two restaurant chains and one foodservice company have announced commitments to transition to Global Animal Partnership (GAP) standards for their broiler supplies.

BJ’s Restaurant and Southern Foodservice announced their broiler supply commitments on April 13, while Garden Fresh Restaurant Group made its announcement on April 17.

All three companies vowed to complete the transition by 2024.

GAP standards call for the following criteria:

  • Using broiler breeds scientifically proven to have markedly improved welfare outcomes
  • Providing chickens with more space (maximum stocking density of 6 lbs./sq. ft.) and improved environments, including lighting, litter and enrichments
  • Eliminating live shackling and dumping and ensuring birds are rendered unconscious through multistep controlled atmospheric stunning, which is universally considered more humane, prior to slaughter

To date, all U.S. companies pledging to transition its broiler supply to meet GAP standards have announced 2024 as their target date for completion. An infographic that includes companies to previously commit to GAP standards appears on WATTAgNet. The infographic will be regularly updated to include new company pledges.

About the companies to commit

Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Foodservice provides services for a wide variety of businesses, educational institutions, sports and leisure venues and government entities. Those businesses include several Fortune 500 companies, according to the Southern Foodservice website.

The BJ’s Restaurant chain operates 191 casual dining restaurants in 24 states, according to the company’s website. The company is headquartered in Huntington Beach, California.

Garden Fresh Restaurant Group, which was founded in San Diego in 1978, currently operates 97 restaurants.

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