The restaurant industry in the Philippines is rapidly adopting cage-free eggs as the new benchmark, with a significant majority of the nation's top chains now committed to eliminating caged eggs from their supply chains. According to the 2025 Philippines Restaurant Industry Cage-Free Egg Scorecard, released by Lever Foundation, this shift marks a pivotal moment for dining standards across the country.
Overwhelming Commitment to Cage-Free Sourcing
Out of 67 leading restaurant brands evaluated, which represent the vast majority of the Philippines' dining landscape, 47 chains operating 11,277 locations have pledged to fully transition to cage-free eggs. This accounts for 78% of all chain restaurant locations nationwide, positioning the Philippines with the highest concentration of such commitments in Asia. The list includes brands that have already completed their transition, such as Nanyang and Peri-Peri, alongside industry giants like Jollibee, Max's, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Red Ribbon, Greenwich, and Shakey's. International players such as KFC, Dunkin', Pizza Hut, Subway, and Burger King are also part of this movement.
Leadership and Consumer-Driven Change
Robyn Del Rosario, Sustainability Program Lead at Lever Foundation, an international NGO that collaborated with domestic and international restaurant groups, highlighted the industry's leadership. "With 70% of major restaurant brands—representing 78% of chain restaurant locations across the country—already committed to cage-free egg sourcing, we're witnessing the sector's recognition that animal welfare, food safety, and sustainability are essential business priorities," said del Rosario.
Benefits of Cage-Free Systems
The transition to cage-free eggs addresses critical issues in both animal welfare and food quality. Unlike conventional battery cage systems, where hens spend their lives in spaces smaller than a sheet of paper, cage-free environments allow hens to move freely and engage in natural behaviors such as nesting, perching, dust-bathing, and short flights in indoor barns.
Numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies have documented that hens raised in cage-free systems produce eggs with improved food safety profiles, higher nutritional value, and better overall quality metrics. The Philippine government acknowledged this trend in 2020 when the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards developed comprehensive animal welfare guidelines for cage-free eggs. Additionally, a growing number of consumers are opting for plant-based alternatives, viewing them as the best way to support hen welfare.
Recent Momentum and Industry Shifts
Over the past year, momentum in the Philippines' restaurant sector has accelerated significantly. Three major restaurant groups—333 Foods (operating BreadTalk, Nanyang, and Banana Leaf), Max's Group (operating Pancake House and Yellow Cab), and Century Pacific Food, Inc. (operating Shakey's, Potato Corner, and Peri-Peri)—set cage-free egg policies for a combined 2,140 locations, driving further adoption.
Remaining Challenges and Scorecard Evaluation
Despite the progress, 20 leading chain restaurant brands in the Philippines still serve caged eggs with no timeline for shifting to cage-free. These include Goldilocks, which publicly pledged to set a cage-free egg policy by the end of 2025 but failed to do so, along with Army Navy, Wildflour, Nono's, Italianni's, McDonalds, and Starbucks.
The 2025 Philippines Restaurant Industry Cage-Free Egg Scorecard evaluates companies on a four-tier scale: A (100% cage-free egg implementation achieved in the Philippines), B (global cage-free egg commitment and timeline), C (Philippines-specific cage-free egg commitment and timeline), and F (no cage-free egg policy in the Philippines).
Future Outlook and Industry Expectations
Del Rosario expressed optimism about the ongoing transformation. "The path forward is clear, and we're confident more brands will catch up with this industry-wide shift in the year ahead. Cage-free sourcing is not just a more ethical choice—it's becoming the baseline expectation from consumers and the competitive standard in the Philippines," she stated.
