Domino’s: We love and trust farmers

In an era when many restaurant chains are quick to commit to sourcing policies that call for animals raised without antibiotics, cage-free eggs, crate-free pork and slower-growing broilers, Domino’s is going against the grain.

Roy Graber Headshot
Photo courtesy of Domino's
Photo courtesy of Domino's

In an era when restaurant chains are quick to commit to sourcing policies that call for animals raised without antibiotics, cage-free eggs, crate-free pork and slower-growing broilers, Domino’s is going against the grain.

Speaking recently at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit in Kansas City, Tim McIntyre, Domino’s executive vice president of communication, investor relations and legislative affairs, said that it has not done so because Domino’s loves and trusts farmers.

“Domino’s is not in business to tell you how to raise your animals. We’re not in business to tell you how to raise your crops,” McIntyre said.

But that is not the viewpoint of animal rights extremists, who have pressured other restaurant chains to purchase pledges that concede to animal rights agendas.

“What we do instead is we research the issues. We will talk to your associations. We will talk in some cases directly to you, and we write reasonable, sound responses, and we talk to our investors to get their points of view on what they’re thinking about,” he said.

That research at times has shown that what is often seen by some as bad for animals is, in Domino’s eyes, good. One example he cited is antibiotics in animal production.

“Our company’s belief is that it is less humane to leave an animal sick. It is actually more humane to treat a sick animal,” he said.

Farmers, franchisees have common ground

McIntyre described Domino’s as a network of small businesses, because of the many franchisees it works with. About 90 percent of Domino’s franchisees started out as delivery drivers. They believed in the business, and invested their money in what they believed in.

Much like farmers, Domino’s franchisees do not follow a 40-hour work week.

“This is not just a job, this is their very lives,” McIntyre said.

And just like a Domino’s franchisee is likely to only make decisions in the best interest of the business, a farmer is likely to only make decisions in the best interest of the chickens, pigs and cattle they raise.

“This is their families’ livelihood. There is no future in animal cruelty,” he said.

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