Nando’s and Loungers among restaurants to ditch slower-growing chicken pledge

Eighteen hospitality brands, including Nando’s, KFC and Burger King, have dropped their pledge to source slower-growing chicken, citing disruption to the poultry supply chain.

Eight restaurant owners, which include Lemon Pepper Holdings (the UK franchisee of Wingstop) and Big Table Group, said in a statement on Thursday 19 February that they will step back from their Better Chicken Commitments (BCC) to balance improvements to chicken welfare with “long-term supply resilience”.

They argued that an exclusive focus on slower-growing, higher-welfare breeds has detrimental “knock-on impacts”, such as requiring larger farms and producing more greenhouse gas emissions.

Chicken supply has already been constrained by global avian flu outbreaks at a time of soaring demand for the protein, they added.

These brands have subsequently launched the Sustainable Chicken Forum (SCF) to “advance chicken welfare while balancing environmental sustainability, carbon reduction and supply pressures”.

They have committed to using reporting mechanisms to demonstrate progress to the sector and advocating a “joined-up approach” to poultry policy between the UK and Europe.

In response, animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming expressed disappointment at the 18 hospitality brands that have dropped their Better Chicken Commitments (BCC).

It stated: “BCC-compliant chicken is available, and volumes will increase further as retailers like M&S expands its BCC fresh chicken supply. The foodservice sector should be capitalising on this rather than stepping back from the BCC.”

Allen Simpson, chief executive at UKHospitality, said: “Our restaurants and food-to-go brands are critical parts of the high street and we know that consumer demand for chicken continues to soar.

“However, this demand comes at a time of acute chicken supply pressures and operators rightly have to ensure consistent and secure supply chains, while continuing to improve welfare standards and cut their environmental impact.

“I’m pleased that businesses are committed to enhancing their ongoing work across welfare and the environment, and the Sustainable Chicken Forum will play a vital role to make even more progress, as well as overcoming this shared supply challenge.”

Who are the members of the Sustainable Chicken Forum?

• BKUK Group (Burger King UK)
• Lemon Pepper Holdings (the UK franchisee of Wingstop)
• Loungers UK (Brightside Roadside Dining, Cosy Club, Lounge Café Bars)
• Nando’s UK & Ireland
• PLK Chicken UK (Popeyes)
• The Big Table Group (Banana Tree, Bella Italia, Las Iguanas, Frankie & Benny’s)
• The Restaurant Group (Bar Burrito, Brunning & Price, Wagamama, trgc)
• Yum! Brands (KFC UK and Ireland, Pizza Hut UK, Taco Bell UK)

Photo: William Barton/Shutterstock