Food Union switches from cage eggs to barn-laid eggs in production

  • 2024-07-03

Latvia's leading dairy and ice cream producer Food Union has, in close cooperation with suppliers, managed to switch from using cage-laid eggs to barn-laid eggs in pancake production. Although the use of eggs as a raw material in Food Union production is minimal, evaluating the risks and benefits of switching to barn-laid eggs and egg products and consulting with representatives from Dzīvnieku brīvība (Animal Freedom), Food Union was able to make the change within just three months from the announcement of the decision on March 30 this year. Abandoning cage-laid eggs by 2025 was one of the goals set by Food Union in the company's Sustainability Strategy.

"Transitioning to sustainable production is first a change in mindset, and only then practical steps on how to do it responsibly, effectively, and economically justified. Thanks to the work with suppliers and the consultations we received from the Dzīvnieku brīvība association, the transition from cage-laid eggs to barn-laid eggs turned out to be easier, faster, and economically justified than we initially assessed. Although the number of products in which we use eggs is not large, the internal team's responsiveness to do it was an additional stimulus to not postpone this work and complete it as quickly as possible," comments Ieva Lejniece, Food Union Marketing and Product Research and Development Director.

Katrīna Krīgere, head of the Dzīvnieku brīvība association, comments: "Most people care about animals. They do not want animals to suffer severely and unnecessarily, as is the case with laying hens in cages. Therefore, when companies introduce welfare improvements, everyone benefits – not just the animals, but also consumers and the company itself. This Food Union step is an inspiring example of socially responsible action – an encouragement for other companies to eliminate cruel cages from their supply chains faster."

As previously reported, Food Union daily produces 400 different dairy products and ice creams for more than ten beloved food brands. The company purchases and uses eggs and egg products in small amounts for the production of six types of pancakes and one cheese product, which is done according to the strict international standards of FSSC 22000 and HACCP. The previous plan was to switch to barn-laid eggs as soon as possible, but no later than the end of 2025, which was successfully completed in just three months.

The Food Union developed Sustainability Strategy covers work in three main directions, defined and based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals: 1) Improving well-being by purposefully and regularly enhancing products, developing new and healthier products; 2) Reducing environmental impact by optimizing production and the raw materials used in the production process and the waste generated; 3) Strengthening a fair social system by improving social conditions through transparent and fair cooperation throughout the value creation chain.

ABOUT FOOD UNION LATVIA

In Latvia, Food Union is the leading producer and distributor of fresh dairy products and ice cream. The Food Union group in Latvia comprises Rīgas piena kombināts, Valmieras piens, and Premia FFL. In the market, the company is renowned for historic and widely recognized brands such as Kārums, Limbažu piens, Valmiera, Lakto, Pols, Ekselence, and TIO. The company’s key expertise lies mostly in the fresh dairy and ice cream segments and its brand portfolio boasts healthy and high value-added products made from the very best quality milk sourced from over 100 Latvian farmers. The central office of the Food Union Group is situated in Latvia. Since 2019, Riga has served as the group's ice cream development center. Each year, the Ice Cream Competence Center develops over 100 new ice cream varieties for the European market.