Commits To Work With Suppliers To Improve Conditions Of Broiler Chickens
BOSTON, MA March 3, 2017 – Unidine Corporation®, the leader in dining management services for senior living, healthcare and corporate environments, announced today that it will adopt a policy that improves the welfare of broiler chickens by 2024 or sooner.
“Unidine was the first food and dining management company completely committed to fresh ingredients and scratch cooking,” said Richard B. Schenkel, Unidine’s Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our commitment to local sourcing and seasonal menus is built into our operational model, so taking these steps to improve animal welfare is a natural extension of our commitment to sustainable sourcing and providing our clients with the freshest, healthiest products available.”
The new policy will improve the welfare of broiler chickens by achieving the following goals for 100% of the chicken products sourced:
- Transition to strains of birds approved by the Global Animal Partnership (GAP) based on their measurably improved animal welfare outcomes.
- Reduce stocking density to a maximum of 6lbs/ft2 per GAP standards, and prohibit broiler cages.
- Provide birds with enriched environments, including litter, lighting, and enrichment that meets GAP standards.
- Broiler chickens in our supply chain will be rendered unconscious prior to shackling utilizing a multi-step controlled-atmosphere processing system that is widely hailed as more humane.
- Demonstrate compliance with the above standards via third party auditing.
Unidine’s commitment to responsibly sourced produce, meats and other ingredients has long been part of the company’s Fresh Food Pledge, and builds on its 2015 adoption of a 100 percent cage free egg purchasing policy. Unidine also sources meats that are free of growth hormones and dairy products from rBST growth hormone free cows.