Jan Zandbergen Group aims to take the lead in food safety, sustainability and animal welfare. For that reason, a ground-breaking public pledge has been made to support the Better Chicken Commitment by supplying chicken which meets this higher welfare criteria and promoting it across the industry. The Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) is the leading set of standards for broiler welfare driving the food industry towards higher welfare practices.
Jan Zandbergen Group is one of the larger suppliers of imported poultry meat products to the EU industry and food services. Jan Zandbergen Group chooses its suppliers with care. Animal welfare throughout the whole chain plays a role in this. Jochem Versloot, one of the directors at Jan Zandbergen Group: “One of our core values is taking responsibility, that means also Corporate Social Responsibility, including animal welfare. The majority of chicken products that we supply already meet higher standards than EU legislation requires. However, not all suppliers are yet able to meet the desired higher patterns. With our commitment to support the BCC, we encourage various producers worldwide to meet the standards of Better Chicken Commitment. We will also make efforts to assist them in this transition to adapt to the BCC welfare standards.”
Consumers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and how it was produced. Resulting in a demand for improved animal welfare and food quality standards. Versloot: “Transparency is key. We believe this is a necessity for consumers to trust the food chain. By adopting the Better Chicken Commitment, companies signal to their customers they are meeting rising expectations for animal welfare, sustainability, and food quality.” Jan Zandbergen Group will be able to supply (fresh, frozen, and processed) chicken that meets the BCC standards. This way the company enables current and future customers who have made a 100% Better Chicken Commitment to adhere to it by 2026.
The Better Chicken Commitment is a science-based, six-point chicken welfare policy that addresses issues related to breeding for fast-growth and high-yield, housing, stocking density, and slaughter. The exact standards of the Better Chicken Commitment policy can be found at https://welfarecommitments.com/letters/europe/. The standards for the Better Chicken Commitment are equally and in many cases even more strict than other certifications like Red Tractor in the United Kingdom and Beter Leven in The Netherlands.
The Better Chicken Commitment is an initiative supported by 30 NGOs in Europe including animal protection organisations like The Humane League. Vicky Bond, Managing Director at The Humane League UK, said: “We can’t congratulate Jan Zandbergen Group enough for making this pledge to supply chicken that meets the BCC criteria. Not only that, but it has shown real initiative in promoting the BCC among its partners, and pushing animal welfare up the corporate agenda.
There is an ever-growing movement of companies committing to higher welfare systems, and this pledge will not only allow these companies to fulfil their commitments but also encourage many more to do the same. This kind of leadership and cross-industry support is vital to forging a better future for chickens.”