Goals also address antibiotic use, EPS foams, palm oil
Popeyes reaffirmed its sustainability initiatives, releasing a list of goals for the next five years. The plan is in line with its parent company’s Restaurant Brands for Good sustainability plan. These goals revolve around the chicken chain’s real ingredients & cage-free eggs offering, antibiotics use, and removal of EPS foams, as well as palm oil.
By the end of 2022, Popeyes will remove colors, flavors and preservatives from artificial sources from fried chicken menu items in the US.
Also, Miami, Fla.-based Popeyes has developed a roadmap to 100% cage-free eggs, including whole eggs, liquid eggs, egg products and egg ingredients, in all corporate-run and franchisee-operated restaurants within North America, Western Europe & Latin America by the end of 2025—99% of Popeye’s global egg sourcing. The goal of 100% cage-free eggs for the rest of the portfolio has been set as the end of 2030 or earlier.
Regarding antibiotics use, Popeyes commitment focuses on antibiotics important to human medicine as per the World Health Organization. Meanwhile, it will continue to incorporate humane antibiotic use on animals based on supplier guidance.
Through its purchasing program, Popeyes is working to replace approved EPS foam cups globally with paper cups. The QSR’s procurement group will factor in requirements so that all approved fiber-based packaging will come from certified or recycled sources globally, by the end of 2021.
“Committed to furthering our dedication to quality, we are thrilled to serve our guests our famous, delicious chicken, but now with real, more responsibly-sourced ingredients, and in more environmentally friendly packaging,” said Sami Siddiqui, Popeyes Americas president.
For products that are directly sourced and for all branded food products with greater than 1% palm oil or palm kernel oil as an ingredient, Popeyes now sources palm oil that is RSPO Mass Balance certified, or covered by RSPO certification or credits, for its global menu, according to an announcement. This follows the brand’s Palm Oil Sourcing Policy, supporting certified sustainable palm oil purchases that build deforestation-free supply chains.
Popeyes recently launched Inside the Kitchen, a new TV campaign that puts the spotlight on its team members and gives consumers a chance to go behind the scenes in food preparation.
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