Jennie Hunter
In partnership with animal activists around the world, the Open Wing Alliance (OWA) has secured a global cage-free commitment from Toridoll—marking an incredible milestone in the movement for animals worldwide.
This week, in a first-of-its-kind commitment, Toridoll Holdings Corporation released a cage-free policy that will directly improve the lives of 40,000 egg-laying hens by the end of 2023 in Japan alone. This is a huge victory for the animals—and represents an exciting shift in the fight for progress for egg-laying hens around the world.
The parent company to Marugame Udon, Wok to Walk, PokeWorks, Shoryu Ramen, and more made the cage-free commitment after a worldwide campaign by the Open Wing Alliance (OWA), a global coalition initiated by The Humane League to end the abuse of chickens. The victory comes on the heels of a 100% cage-free commitment from Pokeworks and numerous other cage-free wins this year, thanks to mounting consumer pressure and the collective efforts of animal advocates around the world.
The policy, which is OWA’s first cage-free commitment from a company headquartered in Japan, states that all of Toridoll’s global operations (excluding Japan) will be cage-free by 2030. In Japan, 10 restaurants will switch to cage-free by the end of this year, and 3% of all eggs purchased in Japan will be cage-free by the end of 2023 with subsequent annual increases.
For a corporation that uses over 1,000 eggs per restaurant, per day (in Japan alone!), this policy means tremendous progress for animals. “Due to Toridoll's momentous influence, this commitment will dramatically improve the face of animal agriculture on a global scale,” says Hannah Surowinski, Global Corporate Relations Coordinator of The Open Wing Alliance.
Why is this win so significant?
This victory by the Open Wing Alliance, a global coalition of over 90 animal protection groups across 63 countries, represented an incredible team effort and one of the most demanding OWA campaigns to date. Changemakers around the world took digital actions, shared a Change.org petition, and protested on the ground throughout Europe and Asia—culminating in a global cage-free commitment from Toridoll covering all of its brands.
A roadmap for future campaigns
Not only does the campaign represent a huge win on its own, but it also provides a clearer path forward in the fight for a global cage-free future. Toridoll’s commitment could trigger momentum among its competitors as they realize cages are a thing of the past—and it’s time to eliminate them, or risk being left behind. This is exactly how momentum was built in many countries who are now moving toward 100% cage-free, including the US, where the first policies from major companies were as small as 1%.
With Toridoll working with the Open Wing Alliance to implement significant annual increases, combined with their rapid global expansion plan, this policy will make a difference for a huge number of egg-laying hens and inspire progress for years to come.
What is Toridoll?
Toridoll is a Japanese holdings company that owns or has substantial stakes in restaurant brands around the world, including Marugame Udon, Wok to Walk, Shoryu Ramen, Pokeworks, Konas Coffee, Boat Noodle, Monster Curry, Tamjai Samgor Mixian, Tamjai Hunnan Mixian, and more. The commitment will apply to all of its brands and locations globally, including more than 1,000 restaurants in over 27 countries and regions.
You’re building a better future for hens
Thanks to your tireless efforts, animal advocates around the world are driving a better future for hens. Every phone call, email, and social media comment has an impact—and together, they are convincing huge global companies like Toridoll to implement more compassionate policies for animals.
So far, 100+ global companies have pledged to eliminate the use of cruel, inhumane battery cages for egg-laying hens in their supply chains. These diseased and injured hens are so tightly crammed in small cages, they can’t move or spread their wings. Some hens, exhausted or unable to move, are trampled to death by their cage mates. And battery cages aren’t just cruel to animals—they pose a serious food safety risk to consumers. Hens in these cages are forced to live, breathe, and lay eggs for human consumption while trapped amongst feces and rotting bodies. In fact, eggs from caged hens are up to 25 times more likely to contain salmonella.
Major companies around the world are ditching cages, and consumer demand for cage-free eggs is growing. Still, some companies, including Yoshinoya and Subway, are not responding to our call to act. Help change the world for egg-laying hens by joining thousands of activists in pressuring these corporations to stop profiting off of animal cruelty.
